New Waking World: Bloody Grimm
by ToxicGentleman
Summary: The Hunter finds himself in the world of Remnant. How will he adapt to this world? Will he find peace or will this world be another nightmare for him? Rated M for graphic imagery later on in the story. Please R&R.
1. New Arrival

Metal clashing filled the arena as two students fought each other. One wielding a rapier with a multi-action dust chamber, while the other used a hammer that doubles as a grenade launcher. Both seemed evenly matched against each other as they danced around the arena, trading blows, shooting grenades, and even slinging dust. The Heiress vs. the Valkyrie. Even though they were friends outside of the fight, they fought hard against each other.

Weiss wore a pale blue bolero jacket over a similarly colored thigh-length dress with a piece of black lace making up the neckline of the dress. The inside of the bolero is red and the sleeves turn blue as they get closer to her wrists. The back of the bolero displays the Schnee Crest, which bears a resemblance to a snowflake. She held her Multi-Action Dust Rapier, Myrtenaster, in her left hand, holding a perfect readied fencing stance.

Nora's clothing was a mix and match with different colors and themes. She wore a collared black vest that ends at her waist. Her signature emblem, a hammer with a lightning bolt, can be found on the back. Under the vest are two layers of clothing, a light-blue as the base with red as the accents. She also wore a white sleeveless top that forms a tiny heart shape between her cleavage and collarbone, with a white detached sleeve on each arm. She also wore matching fingerless gloves on each hand. She had a pink skirt that starts at the waist and ends mid-thigh. Her shoes are a mix of pink and white with pink laces, displaying her emblem on their soles. She also wore armor that began in the middle of the shoulder and neck then ends by the waist. Her hands held tightly to her hammer with a smile spread across her face.

The two girls were about to continue their fight when a white blinding flash lit up the arena, causing everyone to shield their eyes. A loud thud was heard as the light slowly dissipated from view. As everyone was trying to rub the stars from their eyes an ear piercing scream filled the room. Weiss was found lying under a person, who was face down.

Normally this wouldn't cause too much alarm, and would just irritate the heiress to no extent. This time, however, the person was covered in blood. They had strange weapons strapped to their back and waist, along with a red satchel that was sprawled out slightly. The clothing was strange, well as strange as it could be while covered in blood. Their hair was in a tight simple braid that draped across Weiss. A blood covered top hat slowly floated down from nowhere, almost comically with a flip or two, and landed neatly on the person's back.

Weiss was still shrieking, trying to push the stranger off of her. Her teammates, from Team RWBY, were the first ones to react and ran to aid her. The crimsonette reached her first and was trying to draw her attention away from the person. The fiery blonde and quiet raven haired girl reached them at the same time and quickly pulled the unconscious person off of her. As soon as the heiress was free, she quickly backed away from the unconscious person, with the red-clad girl in close pursuit trying to calm her down, rambling uncontrollably with fear filled eyes. Weiss' white attire was stained a crimson pink from the contact with the person.

"Blood, a lot of blood. How could a person have so much blood on them," the heiress rambled.

Some vomiting could be heard as the students present began murmuring to each other as their vision came back. A woman with blond hair and green eyes ran over and quickly dismissed everyone from the arena.

"Miss Rose, take Miss Schnee back to your dorm and get her cleaned up," the woman said pointing her riding crop at Ruby, who nodded and slowly began talking Weiss into leaving. The woman turned her attention to Yang and Blake who were looking over the person quickly, trying to find the source of the bleeding. "Miss Xiao Long and Miss Belladonna take," she noticed the person was a man, "him to the infirmary now. Miss Valkyrie, go back to your dorm for now. I will come by later and discuss this with you and Miss Schnee when the situation is under control."

Nora just nodded, a mixed look of fascination, curiosity, and horror was on her face as she stowed away her hammer and began walking towards the doors. Yang and Blake quickly threw an arm of the unconscious man over each of their shoulders and hurried towards the infirmary. The woman quickly pulled out her scroll and speed dialed someone as she headed towards the infirmary. Two rings later and someone answered.

"Yes Glynda, what can I -"

"No time Ozpin, we have a situation and you need to meet me at the infirmary right this minute. I will explain when you get there," Glynda said, hanging up her scroll and hurried her pace up, seeing Team JNPR walking with Nora towards the dorms.

* * *

 _~Team RWBY Dorm~_

Ruby had finally gotten Weiss to calm down from the incident, freshly showered and wearing a fresh pair of clothes. Normally blood was an everyday affair, and everyone was use to seeing it, whether from missions gone bad or a Grimm attack that was unplanned. Yet the man was a first for the students to see that much blood on one person, and Weiss was the closest to him by far.

Ruby was currently sitting on the heiress's bed with an arm wrapped around her, saying encouraging words trying to distract her. A click from the door could be heard and the BY of the team entered the room. The front of their shirts stained with a streak going across their shoulders and hair from where they were moving the man. Their hands also had a thin layer on them. Nothing a shower and a trip to the cleaners couldn't fix.

"How is she?" Yang asked as Blake entered the bathroom to begin showering.

"She's doing better now that the shock of the incident is over. How about the person?" Ruby asked.

"Well, the only thing I can say is that he will be fine. Blake and I couldn't find any major wounds on him so we don't know what was up with all that blood. Goodwitch and Ozpin are at the infirmary keeping an eye on him with the medical staff there."

"He was definitely our age, that's for sure," Blake said coming out of the bathroom with a fresh pair of clothes on. Yang hurried into the bathroom and started her shower.

"Really? Where do you think he's from?" Ruby asked as Blake sat down on her bed.

"Atlas maybe, he was dressed for the cold. His clothes were pretty thick," Blake said.

"No, he was not from Atlas," Weiss said. "Those clothes weren't a part of Atlas fashion past or future."

"But they were pretty thick, and Atlas is the only place cold enough to require such thick clothes. Plus they seemed to be kind of fancier than your typical winter wear," Blake commented.

"Well then, we will just have to wait until he wakes up to ask ourselves," Yang said exiting the bathroom, also clean. She deposited her clothes into the laundry bin with Blake and Weiss'. "By the way, Blake, did you notice that be was kind of cute," Yang said with a smile, causing Blake to roll her eyes.

"Really you oaf," Weiss barked.

"What princess? Like Blake said, he was our age. Plus he was solid. Even with the heavy clothes, I could feel the muscle he had," Yang said with a wide grin.

"They weren't that amazing," Blake commented before she could stop herself. Her cheeks tinted pink.

"I knew you were checking him out, Blakey," Yang teased.

* * *

 _A/N: Well, I hope you like the first chapter. If you haven't read the first installment of this series "New Waking World: End of the Dream" I would suggest it, as it explains how the Hunter gets sent to these different worlds. Please review as I always welcome critiques and other helpful comments. Also, if you have a suggestion on to where to send my Hunter, leave it in the comments or PM me._

 _Edit 1/20/17: Went through and fixed some grammar and name problems. Originally Velvet was supposed to be fighting Weiss, but I changed it and didn't get all of the names. Not much was changed in terms of story so far._


	2. Awakening

A/N: Forgot to say this last chapter. We all have to say it when we post stories.

Bloodborne is properly owned by FromSoftware.

RWBY is properly owned by Monty Oum, and RoosterTeeth.

I don't own anything except the story.

* * *

A thin layer of sweat covered his exposed, scared skin. His teeth ground hard against each other. The man tossed and turned violently in his sleep, so much so that the nurses had to restrain him for his own safety, and their own of course. Though passing fast before his closed eyes, his failures, the beasts he's fought, the nightmares slain, and the sins he not only bore witness too, but also committed, haunted his sleeping mind.

The coat of blood the man was covered in had been washed off by the doctors, which exposed the hundreds of scars covering his body. The attire he arrived in was currently being washed for him, though, Ozpin took his weapons and satchel and was currently over looking them in his office. Glynda, who had been keeping a close eye on him stepped away to go and speak with the two students who were the closest to the incident.

The Hunter began thrashing aggressively, pulling on the restraints with all his might. The straps whined as he subconsciously pulled on them. Suddenly he bolted straight up screaming, snapping the strap that was holding his chest down. When he stopped he was panting heavily, sweat covering his body, though thicker than before, and a stray crimson tear rolled down his cheek.

After a short moment, he collected his thoughts, shaking his head. He looked around, taking in the white walls. He noticed that he was strapped to the bed with a strange white garb on. He saw strange boxes that had moving pictures on them and several tubes were hooked into him. The walls had several windows in them that had some kind of cover over two of them, not drapes. His mind started running fast as lightning.

 _'Where am I? What's going on? Am I being experimented on? Why am I restrained to this white bed?'_ He thought, pulling against the restraints, feeling them begin to strain against his pull.

The door to the room opened up to a woman wearing blue clothes, who had a worried look on her face. Her auburn hair was up in a tight bun, and her forest green eyes trained on him. The Hunter began to pull on the restraints harder, remembering the horrors the healing church did to their patients.

' _Only a little more,_ ' he thought.

"Oh dust, you're awake," she said, relief washing her face. "Calm down, those were for your safety, we didn't want you to pull any of the tubes out while you thrashed in your sleep. I can take them off, just don't leave the bed please."

"What experiments have you been doing to me?" The Hunter asked, glaring at the woman.

"What do you mean?" She replied.

"Don't play innocent with me. I know the horrible experiments the Healing Church are all too happy to perform," he spat, pulling harder against the restraints.

"Sir, you need to calm down. I don't know this Healing Church you speak of. I need you to-"

The Hunter yanked hard and broke free of his left arm restraint and quickly made to undo the rest. The nurse bolted from the room. Once he was free, he stood from the bed, though shakily, and looked for an exit.

' _Alright, window and door are my only exits. If I take the window, I could seriously hurt myself, or die from the fall. The door on the other hand could be full of the members of the Church and without my weapons, I won't stand a chance.'_

Two men stepped through the door, both wearing white shirts and trousers, cutting the Hunters' train of thought.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down for a moment. Let's talk this out," one of the men said.

"I will not be experimented on by the Church. I've already killed Lady Maria and exposed your sins. You will not have me," the Hunter threatened. _'Window it is, hope I'm not to high up,'_ he thought before jumping through.

"Tuck and roll, tuck and roll," he chanted to himself as he fell from the second story. He did as he chanted and tuck and rolled once he hit the ground. When he came to his feet, he was taken back by the sight.

The size of the academy, rivaled that of Cathedral Ward, though not Yarhnam. He found himself on a long, wide avenue leading up to what appears to be the main academy buildings and their large, impressive main doorways, surrounded by a double ring of colonnades bisected by the main avenue with the outer ring rising high over the main entrance to the academy itself. The avenue is marked with trees and flag-draped light-poles, as well as a number of impressive aqueduct-like features and archways. In front of what appeared to be the main building, was a large fountain with a stone statue in front of it.

The statue was of two people, a man and a younger-looking female, who had cat ears, standing on a rock outcropping. They were both dressed in a robe with hoods over their heads. The male held a sword in his right hand, raised in a seemingly triumphant gesture. The younger female had a double-edged battle-ax in her left hand and was looking off to the side into the distance. Below the two figures was a werewolf looking in the same direction as the male figure.

The most prominent part of the academy buildings was a large tower. The tower was surmounted by a number of green spheres or lights, as well as an intricate clockwork mechanism consisting of many interlocking cogs and gears that could be seen even from the ground.

The air was filled with strange aromas and sounds the hunter didn't know, but he knew there was a large body of water nearby.

Students, that were scattered across the open court yard, turned to see what the noise was. The Hunter looked around frantically, trying to find the safest path to escape. He didn't fail to notice the few people who had animal parts on them, but shoved the thought down before he got to distracted. A blonde haired boy with blue trousers and light upper body armor, walk up to him hesitantly.

"Hey man, are you alright?" He asked.

The Hunter spotted the sword on his hip and lunged for it, quickly drawing it from its sheath and throwing the boy away. The sword was simplistic in design and was slightly lighter than what the Hunter was use to. He held the sword in his left hand, like he would, rarely, with the Blades of Mercy in its collapsed form.

A girl with red hair up in a ponytail, stepped between the Hunter and the boy. Her top consisted of two layers. The top layer was a light-brown, strapless top split divided vertically with some bronze patterns. The bottom layer is a low bronze V-neck. She wore an elastic, black, A-line miniskirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. She wore a red ankle-length drapery that appeared to be wrapped around her skirt. She had elaborate bronze greaves that start below her mid-thigh, continuing downwards into her boots and a pair of cuisses that begin mid-thigh and end slightly above her knees. She also donned a bronze bracer on top of the sleeve on her left arm, which appears to be able to connect and disconnect from her shield easily. Her high-heeled boots are brown with bronze trim, matching her skirt and sleeves, and reach up to mid-calf.

She had drawn a bronze and red colored sword and bronze shield from her back, poised to attack as she stared the Hunter down.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down. Drop the sword so we can talk like humans," the girl said.

"Where am I?" The Hunter asked, not dropping his stance.

"Beacon Academy in Vale. Please drop the sword."

"You expect me, a hunter, to drop my weapon when you are ready to attack?"

The girl slowly relaxed and sheathed her weapons, raising both hands up passively. "How is that for you? I don't want a fight. Please drop the sword"

The Hunter looked around to the gathering crowd, looking for any kind of hostility. After a long, tense, moment, he finally dropped his sword arm down, keeping a light hold on the sword.

"Thank you. My name is Pyrrha, what's yours?" Pyrrha asked.

"I don't have one," the hunter replied, looking around nervously, "or more like don't remember it. I haven't had to use a name in a long time."

"Where are you from?"

"Yharnam. I don't recognize the names Beacon and Vale. Tell me, are you part of the Healing Church?" He asked, tightening his grip on the sword.

Pyrrha gave him a quizzical look. "No, I have never heard of this Healing Church you speak of."

"So if you aren't with the Church, then why do you have-"

"Move out of the way," said a woman, making her way through the crowd.

She had very light-blonde hair tied back in a bun with a curl hanging down the right side of her face. Her eyes were bright green and she wore thin ovular glasses. She had teal hanging earrings with a small bead identical to her earrings on her collar. She wore a white long-sleeved suit that exposes part of her chest, and puffy sleeves that tighten near the wrist before spreading back out near her hands. Her lower body had a black business skirt with buttons running in a vertical line up the front of it and lighter black-brown stockings. She wore black boots with brown heels, and wears a tattered cape that is purple inside and black on the outside, decorated by a row of diamond-shaped brown beads going horizontally across her cape.

She took on the situation, noticing the tense stance the student and stranger were holding. She glanced around at the crowd.

"Alright, nothing to see here students. Be on your way. Miss Nikos, care to explain what happened?" The woman asked, turning from the crowd towards Pyrrha.

"Yes Professor," Pyrrha began, then went on to explain the situation. When Pyrrha was finished, the woman closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. After a moment she looked up and walked over to the hunter, giving him a death glare that a lesser man would cower away from. The Hunter stood his ground, tightening his grip on the sword..

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch, a teacher here. Right now you are going to listen and do as I say," Glynda ordered sternly. The hunter tightened his grip on the sword. "You are going to return the sword back to Mr. Arc, then both of us are going to go back into the infirmary until your clothes are finished being washed. Once you are dressed we are going to Ozpin's office so you can explain yourself."

The hunter looked her up and down, sizing her up. _'I could take her, but I would be at a disadvantage without my gear. She looks to study the arcane arts.'_ He looked over towards Pyrrha, _'Yet, the redhead could join in also, thus making my chance of survival dwindle down. Best play it safe, for now.'_

The hunter slowly raised the sword, grabbing the blade near the guard with his right hand, then slid his left down the flat of the blade towards the tip. He presented the sword towards the boy he took it from and bowed his head.

Mr. Arc looked at the sword cautiously. "You do know that is and aggressive stance right?"

"It is only aggressive if it is my sword hand. I'm left handed," the hunter replied, not looking up.

The blond took the sword and sheathed it. The hunter straightened up and turned back towards the building he came from to wait for his attire with Glynda in close pursuit.

* * *

 _A/N: Another chapter down. Hope you enjoy reading the story so far. In the next chapter you will be getting a full(ish) description of the Hunter and his attire along with some other goodies. Now this story will not fully follow cannon (since this is a fan fiction) of either RWBY or Bloodborne as there were some things I will change in Bloodborne. Hopefully I won't get to much backlash from what I change and it will all work out. As always, please review, and if you have questions just ask (in either a comment, review, or PM) and I will get back with you as soon as I can._

 _Oct 21: Sorry for the misspelling of Glynda._


	3. The Hunter

Ozpin looked up from his desk as Glynda and the Hunter entered into his office. His office was on the top floor of the tower, known as Beacon Tower. It covered the entire floor with four doors, two led to elevators, one to the stairs, and the last to another small room. The large cylindrical office had three fourths of the walls as large glass windows. The ceiling was open to an area that housed the giant clockwork gears and beacons of light that could be seen from the ground. The floor was also glass but it resembled a giant clock face, even with its own set of hands. On the opposite side of the office from the doors was Ozpin's desk.

Glynda walked up and stood to Ozpin's right, as the Hunter stopped in front of the desk. Ozpin fully took in the man, and his freshly cleaned attire.

He wore a black top hat that had a blood soaked, white silk ribbon wrapped around its base and the excess dropped down his back, over top his copper braided hair, to his shoulder blades. He had a black coat, which hung to the midsection of his shins, that had decorative gold trim around the cuffs and edges. A dark leather piece was attached that draped over his shoulders, but ended at the opening on each side. On his right collarbone was a brass rose that held a corner of his obsidian black cape, with crimson lining, that crapped across his back and attached to a similar piece at the base of his left ribs on his side. He wore a crimson jerkin, over a white blouse, that had matching gold accents as his coat. His trousers were a dark ash grey that tucked into his dark brown leather boots, which went up to just below his knees. On his hands were a set of metal gauntlets that had segmented pieces that reached up to his mid forearm, though most of them were under the sleeves of his coat.

The hunter had copper colored hair, which looked metallic against his pale complexion, that was braided down to the base of his shoulder blades. His bronze colored eyes seemed to have hints of crimson wisps in them. His face was clean shaven, which showed off a nasty looking scar that started at the left corner of his mouth that went up towards his left ear, stopping at the end of his jaw, giving him a permanent smirk. Ozpin knew that it wasn't the only scar the man bore, but didn't want to press him.

"So, you're Ozpin, the headmaster of this academy?" the Hunter asked, looking over the man.

"Yes I am. Could you enlighten me by saying who you are," Ozpin more stated than asked.

The Hunter bowed forward, reaching his left hand across his chest, then said, "Sadly, I haven't remembered my name since the beginning of the Hunt. However I am a former Hunter of the Healing Church. I recently took over the occupation of Hunter of Hunters from my former mentor."

"A Hunter of Hunter," Glynda questioned more than stated. "What does that mean? What is this Healing Church you're speaking of?"

The Hunter looked at Glynda for a moment before saying, "Madame, as much as it pains me to say this, I would like you to leave. I do not feel comfortable discussing the horrors of my world with you present. It is not because I see you as weak and cannot handle the information I share. It is because the information I share needs to be looked at with an open mind. I can tell you don't have one, whether it is due to lack of experience or how you were brought up. However, I will tell you headmaster my tale and if he want's to divulge the information to you he can. I believe he will be able to give you the informationin a... more comprehendable way of understanding."

"Excuse me, I-" Glynda started.

"Glynda, I believe you have a class to teach. Am I correct?" Ozipn asked.

Glynda stared, jaw clenched tight, at Ozpin. Though the Hunter could not tell what was being said, he knew that a very extensive conversation was being shared between the two professors. However, as soon as it seemed to start, it was over as Glynda turned and left the room.

"I am sorry for this, but the story I am about to tell you is not for the faint of heart. I am mearly protecting her sanity," the Hunter apologized.

"It is fine. I will listen to your advise and decide on what she will be told. Please, tell me your story," Ozpin asked.

"Well," the hunter began taking a deep breath, "it all started when I found out I had an incurable disease form my world. I had heard tales of the Healing Church and its magical blood healing. The Healing Church had resided in a city called Yharnam. I decided to travel to Yharnam and wanted to give this _Healing Blood_ a try. When I got there, I found myself in the care of a man who gave me a blood transfusion. That was when the little ones found me," a smile ghosting his lips as he mentioned the creatures.

* * *

"After I defeated the Moon Presence and absorbed its' blood echoes, I expected to turn into a Great One. However, as you can see, I didn't change. My guess is that I am strong enough as is, and didn't need _evolving_ or _to transcend._ After a conversation with the Doll, she told me I had one final task to complete, and that it was for me to find peace. She had me sit in Gehrman's chair and the next thing I'm aware of is me waking up in that white room," the Hunter finished. He took a few breaths, having explained everything that he had done as a hunter. He had a new found respect for the man who sat before him, as he took in the information with, apparently, no repercussions.

Ozpin drank his coffee silently, taking in the story of the man before him. This man standing before him was from a different world, a much harsher one. He had slain countless beasts and dangerous men alike on this seemingly endless night to stay alive, and end the nightmare that plagued his world. Throughout the story, Ozpin noticed how the man's eyes kept darting about the room, constantly looking for a threat, or escape route, while his left hand frequently reached for a weapon on his belt, or back, that wasn't there.

Ozpin looked down to the man's gear that currently laid on his desk. A twinblade, short sword, two pieces of a scythe, pistol, satchel, and a decorative gold knife attached to a black leather belt. He would be lieing if he said that the hunter's attire was fascinating.

The twinblade was, in his opinion, the most fascinating weapon. The top blade was that of a katana, while the bottom blade was a half meter long saber blade. On the flat edge of the blades, several runes could be made out, while the cutting edge was sharpened to that of a razor. The two blades were connected by a long handle that was a dark cherry color with brass engraved designs on it. At the katana end was a large circular guard with an etching of two lions back to back standing on their hind legs. A thin bar provided a hand guard. The saber end was a thick brass piece that wrapped around the handle with no guard. Overall, and elegant weapon.

The short sword was roughly a meter long. The blade had two curved blades that looked pressed together, and the handle was bound in faded white cloth. The sword looked like it could transform into two swords, yet Ozpin didn't know how to achieve it.

The scythe was something that Ozpin had never seen before, even with his vast knowledge. The blade was separated from the haft, making a crude curved sword that had runes etched into the blood groove and outer edge. The inner edge was rough shaped, but honed to a razor edge. The haft folded in half, covered in blood stained cloth that could have been one white, but was now yellow from age.

The pistol was long, almost the size of an assault rifle, but slim. The wood stock seemed to fit perfectly in any hand that held it and was a mahogany color. A large barrel ran the length of the gun, yet the front two thirds were covered in what appeared to be decorative plates. It had a Flintlock style trigger and hammer. One could tell that it had been used quite often, but wouldn't doubt the accuracy of the one shot gun.

The satchel was dyed a cherry red that had a strange rune looking symbol on the cover flap. It was an eye, which had a twinkle in the center, that had 11 lines coming from the top, each varying in length, with it mirrored on the underside, along with two short lines, one on each side. The eye symbol was inside a diamond, which had the bottom corner replaced with a dot, and a long line at the top of it. Though the cover flap just played over top of the bag, Ozpin couldn't open it.

The knife was no bigger than a dagger. The sheath was gold with an elegant design that matched the man's appearance. A three inch leather band wrapped around it with a red wine ribbon in the middle. A matching cloth was tied to the sheath. The handle and guard was also gold. The knife was clearly used for a specific purpose, not fighting.

Ozpin didn't know what to do with this man before him. His skills seemed to be on par with a professional Huntsman, if his story had anything to say about them, but he lacked experience with Grimm. Since he wasn't from Remnant, he didn't have an unlocked Aura, nor Semblance, but that could be easily fixed. Plus by how he described his world, he needed to get acquainted with the technology that everyone took for granted. It seemed there was only one option.

"Let me make you an offer," Ozpin spoke, breaking the silence, as he stood from his desk. "Why don't you attend my school?" The hunter raised a brow, puzzled by the question. "I can tell you poses much skill in fighting. However you need to understand our world, its rules, and its beasts. We can help you adapt to the world here. Help you learn our technology, history," Ozpin paused for a moment, "secrets of Remnant. By doing that then hopefully you can find the peace you where sent her to find for yourself."

The hunter rubbed his chin, holding his elbow in deep thought.

' _He makes a good point. I have no understanding of this world and its secrets. Ha, I guess he is trying to bait me with my interest in secrets. I wonder, though.'_

"And if I refuse?" He asked after a long silence.

* * *

A/N: Well, a cliffhanger. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Now, a couple reason for not going through and explaining the Hunter's journey, A) _a lot_ of his story is actually explained with his interaction with some of the other characters, B) there are key plot points in the Bloodborne Arch of the story and I can't explained them now and expect you to remember them when they become relevant, C) most of you who are reading this story already know the Hunter's journey though the game (i.e. from playing, watching let's play, etc.), D) and finally I just didn't know how to write it in a way that hasn't already been done.

How was it? Boring? I understand if it was. I know what some of you are thinking. "Where is the fighting? This is a crossover of two fight centered stories. This is the third chapter and no fight?" Well, patience is all I can say. The first arch will not have much fighting as the story (at least the first arch mainly) deals with how the Hunter coups with the aftermath of the hunt. But don't fret, there will be fighting as I love writing fight scenes. Most of my non-fanfic stories have fighting withing the first two chapters. hehehe.

I digress, please review and give me your thoughts on the story so far. Hope you enjoy it.


	4. The Choice

"And if I refuse?" the Hunter asked.

The tension in the room began to thicken as the Hunter sized up the man who sat in front of him. Though the man sat calmly, simply drinking coffee, the Hunter knew that he was far stronger than he looked. He could see the power wound up in the relaxed muscles under his unzipped black suit. The power he radiated distorted his image to the trained eye, giving him a faint greenish grey glow. His light brown eyes were calculative, even from behind the shaded glass specticales.

The Hunter didn't break his eye contact, but was formulating a plan should a fight start. He knew he didn't have the _dream_ to sustain him, and with only one chance, he was unsure if he could win the fight. If he could get to his Rakuyo he might stand a chance. Though, if he could get to any of his weapons his chances for survival would increase, but not by much. Even though they both where fighting an opponent they had no combat information on, each with experience in fighting an unknown enemy, and weapons that could decide the fight in the end. Yet, the Hunter knew he was going to lose the fight before it would happen. He could see how it went.

First, the Hunter would lung for his Rakuyo, while Ozpin would grab his weapon, most likely not dropping his cup. The Hunter would begin the actual fight off with a combo of slashes, changing back and forth between both forms of Rakuyo. Ozpin would block the strikes he could, then dodge the ones he couldn't, possibly jumping back from the Hunter. As Ozpin would jump back, the Hunter would start using the art of Quickening he had mastered after learning about it. He would flash forward in a puff of crimson smoke and try another set of combos, only this time staying in the duel sword mode of the Rakuyo and phasing around Ozpin. Ozpin would stay on the defense, learning his opponent's attack pattern, calculating the next strike, formulating a counter until the time was right, all while taking a sip of his coffee.

After being on defense for maybe half of the fight, Ozpin would have finish getting the patterns down, then would switch to attack. This change up would cause the Hunter to have to learn on the fly as he would back peddle from Ozpin, getting close to spark an attack, then backing off at the last moment. This tactic would only last a few moments before Ozpin would start faking attacks, causing the Hunter to be concentrating more on dodging than actually fighting. Thus with Ozpin having the advantage in knowing the room layout better than the Hunter, he would most likely back him up to the window, or corner him.

The Hunter would misstep and stumble into the window, thus giving Ozpin the exact moment he would need to end the fight. Ozpin would put the end of his cane against the Hunter's neck and just stare at him, all while drinking his coffee without spilling a single drop. No words would be said as Ozpin would hold the cane to his neck, thus ending the fight.

' _Such a waste of a good fight for me to get sloppy,'_ the Hunter inwardly chuckled. ' _It would have been a good fight though_.'

"What would you do if you did?" Ozpin began, breaking his train of thought, "Like I said, you don't understand our world. You would most likely wonder around Vale, fighting Grimm, living in seclusion, all while trying to figure out how our world works. You would end up losing your life from being overwhelmed by a large pack of Grimm, not to say you wouldn't die fighting. However, you would be no closer to the goal you have than right at this moment," Ozpin finished a seriousness in his voice that would stop a man dead in his tracks. He rose from his desk, then turned towards the window and looked out onto the academy he resided over. He beckoned the Hunter over, who hesitantly joined him.

The Hunter knew that the academy was big from his quick introduction after waking up, but he was not prepared for the view the office offered. The Hunter couldn't find words to describe what he was looking at. He could see everything within the limits of his own eyes. Red and green forests, all the buildings as students entered and exited them, even the large body of water from over the cliff that the academy resided could be seen from the office he stood in.

"I won't blame you if you chose to decline my offer, however I believe you would be making a grave mistake. Here you can find friends within the other student's you would be joining. You would be able to learn about this world at a much slower rate. You may even find the peace you so desire. I can not promise you that you will find it here for a fact, that all lies with you and what you want to do," Ozpin said, taking a sip from his coffee as he continued to overlook the academy.

"In truth, I am not sure if I want to take you up on your offer. You offer so much for me, but you aren't asking for anything in return. No contract from me to uphold. No swear of loyalty to you and you alone. Nothing. What is in it for you?" the Hunter asked.

"I will be blunt with you," Ozpin began. "If you take the offer I gave, it gives me assurance that a possible threat to my world was handled and being neutralized. If you refuse, I will always have to spend resources on you to make sure you don't start killing innocent humans and Faunus alike. I don't see you as pawn to gain in a game of chess, but a child who had to grow up too fast for his own good. True, you could be a threat, like I stated, or you could be an ally who we both could benefit from."

The Hunter stood silently, taking his words in and analyzing them carefully. Time slowed for the Hunter as he thought over Ozpin's words. In all reality, what could he lose if he took the offer. Nothing. The Hunter released his breath, unknowingly holding it, and turned towards Ozpin. He then placed his left hand over his chest and held right arm out to the side and leaned forward a bit, bowing his head.

"Ozpin, you have gain my respect for you, I will accept your offer in the hopes of finding peace," the Hunter said, straightening up after he finished.

Ozpin smiled, "I knew you would."

Ozpin motioned for the Hunter to start gathering his weapons, to which the Hunter did. He then reached into a drawer and pulled out a folder and placed it on the desk. When the Hunter was done, Ozpin slide the folder over to him.

"That is an application forum to enter my academy," Ozpin started. "All you need to do is fill out the name and age. I can handle the rest."

"What am I suppose to put for a name? I don't believe Hunter would be good seeing as I am not a Hunter of this world."

"Well, how about... Crimson Moon? Crimson for the blood you were forged from. Moon to remind you where you came from."

"I guess that will work. Crimson Moon, former Hunter of Hunters," Crimson replied filling the lines in like he was told. He tested the name a couple times to get use to it. When he was done he slid the folder back across the desk.

Ozpin picked up the folder and looked it over. Once finished he placed it back into the drawer he pulled it from, then pressed a button on his desk.

"Glynda will give you a tour of the campus and show you to your room. There you will meet your team, and partner. I would suggest going into town this weekend and purchase some clothes, essentials, and get acquainted with the surroundings. You can ask your partner for help."

Crimson raised a brow at Ozpin. "How am I going to pay for anything? I doubt that your world uses the gold coins I have."

"There is a bank in Vale that can help you there. I will inform them for you so that you can have an easier time getting the currency transferred," Ozpin answered.

Just then the door opened and Glynda walked into the office. She had a stern look on her face, scanning over the now armed Hunter, as her hand gripped her riding crop tightly.

"Ah, Glynda, would you be so kind as to give Crimson a tour of the campus, then escort him to his dorm where he can find his room and team," Ozpin more stated than asked.

Glynda's lips formed a tight line, and only nodded as Ozpin scribbled some information down on a piece of paper. Then from a different drawer he produced a small white rectangle with rounded corners, a line dividing it in half with a diamond in the center. He placed both items on the desk then slid them both across the desk towards Crimson.

"The paper has your room number and partner's name on it. A bit of warning, she doesn't talk, so don't take it personally," Ozpin said with a warm smile. Crimson picked up both items and nodded. "The white object is your scroll. It has a lot of features that you will discover. I would have someone help you learn how to use it."

"Couldn't you show me?" Crimson asked looking at the small object in his hand.

"How else would you get to know the other students? Now, best be on your way," Ozpin said with a smile.

Crimson nodded and turned to make his way towards the door, but stopped. A thought came to mind. He turned and looked back at Ozpin.

"Can I ask, how you know I would agree to your offer?"

Ozpin took a sip of his coffee. "Well, why else would you just up and share your life story with a complete random person? I believe you took a gamble in sharing with me, in hopes for me to ask if you would want some help. Believe me Crimson, I have been in similar situations as to the one you are in now. Alone and with no one to ask for help. Does that suffice?"

"Yes that does."

"Very well. If you ever need to talk to me, please don't hesitate to ask."

* * *

"And here we have the dorms for the first and second years," Glynda said, rather coldly, as they came up to the last stop of the tour. "Now, you will have the weekend to get accustomed to campus and your schedule for classes will follow that of your team with the exception of the leader. If you have problems with classes you can ask for a tutor from your teachers. Any final questions?"

"None, madame," Crimson replied. He then stepped in front of Glynda and bowed slightly with his right hand over his chest. "Please forgive me if I made a bad impression on you when we first met. I had awoken in a strange world with no knowledge of what is happening. Last time that happened I was almost killed. Forgive me for being cautious of my surroundings."

Glynda was taken back by his forwardness along with his politeness. Not many students would have picked up on her mood, nor would they have commented on it. However, a faint blushed tapped her cheeks as she realized he thought her foul mood was caused by him. Sure he did interrupt her class the day before, broke a window that morning, and almost caused a fight. However that was not the cause for her mood and she belittled herself inwardly for giving him the wrong impression.

"No apology is needed. All professional Huntsmen and Huntresses would have acted as you did. I don't hold any blame on you," she answered. "I will extend what Ozpin said however. If you ever have any problems with getting settled or just adapting, you can ask any teacher here for advise. Now, I have some tasks that require my attention. I will see you in class on Monday." With that Glynda walked away, leaving Crimson alone infront of the dorm.

Crimson inhaled deeply. He looked around and walked towards the door.

' _I hope the door is unlocked. It would be a pain to try and find another way in,'_ he chuckled to himself.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry for not being sorry about that fight. In reality, Ozpin wouldn't fight Crimson unless he had no choice, or if he was the only one who could beat him. Any way, how was the chapter? I felt the pacing was off, but that might just be me.

One thing I forgot to make light of in the Crimson's description, mainly because it didn't actually come to mind until recently. He is just as tall as Ozpin, which is 6'6" (Average heights in the RWBY universe is between 6'-6'6").

As always, please review and give your thoughts. I welcome critiques.


	5. Team OCEN

Crimson looked over the piece of paper again as he stood in front of a door with the number printed in black numbers to its right. He glanced down the hallway, looking for any sign for anything to jump out at him. After seeing nothing, he let out a sigh of relief.

 _'Calm down, you don't need to be on alert right now. Its safe here,'_ he chastised himself, shaking his head back in forth. He looked back at the door, then raised his hand to knock. Before his hand made contact with the door, it opened to reveal a man standing in front of him.

He was half a head taller than Crimson, and had a bulky build that put a brick troll to shame. He wore a forest green sleeveless robe under light leather armor with a pair of black loose fitting pants that tucked into his brown combat boots. A assault rifle was strapped to his back along with several small arms strapped to his legs. A combat knife could be seen poking from behind his back. He had shaggy, sand blonde hair and piercing green eyes, which held quite a bit of surprise for finding someone standing in front of him.

"Good afternoon, I was wondering if this is room 304?" Crimson asked.

"Yeah it is. You must be Crimson," the man stated, a tone of authority in his baritone voice as he looked Crimson over.

"Yes, my name is Crimson Moon. Professor Ozpin-"

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with him. You are now apart of my team. My name is Orion Star, leader of Team OCEN (ocean)," Orion stated coldly. "Sorry that I have to make this short, but I have shooting practice to get to. The girls should be back from their classes soon. Your bed is the one on the far right as you enter the room. The dresser and desk sitting next to each other are yours also. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Crimson said, entering the room as Orion stepped out.

"Oh, Ozpin told me about you being behind the times, and I told Ebony. By the time the girls get here they both help you and will go with you into town to get some stuff. They will help you get acquainted and what not. Take care and see ya later." Orion said before excusing himself.

Crimson shrugged as he turned back into the room and looked around. The floor was covered in a black carpet with a red circular floor rug that had gold trim around the outer edge. The walls were a cream color, and had a large white window in the center across from the door, which had its indigo curtains drawn to the sides, brightening up the room. A waist high bookshelf sat underneath the window, which was filled with books and a few nick knacks. On the left side of the room, two beds were pressed against each other, with a tall wall divider in-between them, and sat snugly in the corner. At the foot of the bed sat a door to a closet, which was cracked slightly, revealing several different outfits. On the other side of the closet sat two dressers, each having different items on top. Sitting next to the door were two desks, each with a pile of books and papers. The right side of the room was arranged the same as the left, but there were two doors, one open that lead into a small bathroom.

"Seems roomy," Crimson said to no one in particular. "Though I'm not sure about those beds."

"Well it was that, or have the beds stacked on top of each other to give us more space," a voice said from behind Crimson.

Crimson's instinct took over before he could reel them under control. He spun, lifting the blade of his sword with his left hand while he drew Evelyn with his right. A clash of metal filled the air. When he stopped moving, Rakuyo was intercepted by a pink parasol, while Evelyn was pointed at a shocked looking woman with her hands up and a set of yellow cards in front of the barrel. Silence filled the room as the three stood there. The two women present exchanged a nervous glance before they looked into the eyes of the man before them. His bronze colored eyes had several rings of crimson while he stared them down.

* * *

 _The hunter slowly entered through the archway, leading into a massive library, stretching three levels high with bookshelves covering every wall. Books and papers were scattered across the elegantly carved tables and floor. Several scarlet rugs, with gold edges, that were once placed with persicion, were now bunched up from hastily move tables and chairs, with some destroyed or toppled. There were several small stair cases on wheels to access the high bookshelves. The ceilings were vaulted with several arches and elaborate carvings decorated every surface. Two large, brass chandeliers hung from the ceiling providing light to most of the main room, while several smaller ones provded the extra light needed. With how the ceiling was laid out, the Hunter could tell that the room was bigger than could be seen from the ground level. On the far side of the room, a staircase to the second level could be seen._

 _He walked up and skimmed over the different books and papers scattered across the table. History, politics, language, fiction, there was everything just scattered. A clear sign that the noble men and women were rudely interrupted in their normal day by an attack. One book made the Hunter chuckle as he had seen it in every library and every house he's been in._

 _' How to Pick Up Fare Maidens, why is this such a popular book,' he thought, flipping the book open and skimming a couple passages from the text._

 _Suddenly the sound of whimpering and sobbing filled the room. The hunter looked up to see a silver woman standing on the opposite side of the table. He stepped back to distance himself as he raised his pistol, only to stop as something sharp was pressed into his back. Before he could react, the object was pulled free and several slashes were made across his back. He could feel the blood flow down his back as he managed to roll away, winching at the pain of his back. However as he stood, he came face to face with one of the many servants that were scattered about the halls._ _The servant quickly pulled a Rapier from under the tattered rags it wore and longed the blade into the Hunter's heart._

* * *

The memory faded from Crimson's eyes. Once his eyes refocused, he found himself staring at two women with his weapons drawn on them. He was glade his subconscious was not in total control as the girls were able to block any attack he might of had thrown. He feared what would of happened if he had actually lost it. After blinking a couple time, the crimson rings changed back into wisps. He lowered his weapons and re-holstered Evelyn.

"My apologies. I didn't know you were there and my body reacted before I could process what was happening," Crimson apologized, bowing slightly.

"N-no problem, we should have said something sooner," the black haired girl said. Crimson looked over the two, avoiding eye contact.

One had short, black hair, which was in a pixie cut. She wore a white fedora with a teal ribbon. She had on a white button down shirt, with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and a blue vest over top that went with the teal, silk gloves she wore. She had a pair of black jeans on that draped over her black combat boots. Her eyes were a rich sapphire blue.

The other had the left side of her hair a chocolate brown, while the right was a light pink with a streak of white. She was short, a little over a half meter shorter than Crimson. She wore a white jacket with a pink interior, brown pants, and gray boots with very high heels. Under her jacket was a black corset, curved in the middle and at the bottom, exposing her hips. She also wore a multitude of necklaces, which hung haphazardly around her neck. She held a parasol in her right hand. One of her eyes was a light pink with the other brown, though they seemed to change with every couple of blinks.

"None the less, I should not have reacted as I did," Crimson said, straightening fully. "Where are my manners. My name is Crimson Moon."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Ebony Sdrac," the black haired girl began, "and this is Neo Politan."

Neo smiled confidently and waved.

"Ebony and Neo, nice names," Crimson said before turning towards Neo, remembering the name written on the paper Ozpin had given him.. "So I guess that makes me your partner?"

Neo nodded, pulling out her scroll. A moment later it expanded and she began pressing different buttons on it. She then held it up so Crimson could see.

" **That's right. I am your partner and you are going to have to deal with it** ," the device read.

"Well, I look forward to working with you," Crimson smiled.

"So, Orion told me that you come from a place that is completely different than ours, right?" Ebony asked.

"Correct, I'm going to need some help getting use to this place," he chuckled.

"Well, first things first, those clothes will need an upgrade," Ebony said, giving a playful look of disgust at Crimson.

Neo rolled her eyes, shaking her head before quickly typing something onto her scroll.

" **They're fine, but we should go get you some stuff so you can better fit in here. Do you have money?** "

"I have some coins from back home. Ozpin said the bank can help me get the right currency," Crimson answered.

"Well we can just stop by the bank while we are out. Come on," Ebony eagerly said, grabbing Crimson's arm and pulling him along.

' _This woman has some excess energy,_ ' Crimson thought. He quickly shoved his Rakuyo into his satchel as Neo hurried behind them.

"Wait, where are we going?" Crimson asked.

"We're going to Vale. Where else would we go to get you clothes and supplies?" Ebony asked with a wide grin.

Crimson looked to Neo, who handed him her scroll.

" **She loves any excuse to go shopping."**

Crimson nodded in understanding as the three of them made their way down to the air docks. It took some convincing to get Crimson onto the airship. However, once they were off and flying towards Vale, the girls had a hard time hiding their laughter at Crimson's amazement. Neo had an easier time as she didn't make any actual sound, where Ebony was biting her hand to keep the noise from escaping. Crimson either didn't notice, or didn't care as he looked out the window.

The view was like nothing he had ever seen. The town below was large while the ocean stretched to the hoizon. The only thing close enough to the view for Crimson to compare would be looking over the edge of the dream with the red moon off in the distance.

* * *

 _"Good Hunter, what are you looking at?" the doll asked walking up behind the Hunter._

 _He was leaning on the fence that surrounded the dream. He looked across the vast expanse of clouds and stone spires towards the rising red moon. A content smile was on his face._

 _"I'm admiring the view. Really I'm just taking a moment to relax," the Hunter said. His hand reached up to felt the blood stained ribbon wrapped around his top hat._

 _The doll stepped up beside him and looked across the expanse, her face ever neutral._

 _"Have you ever tried smiling?" the Hunter asked, looking at the doll as he dropped his hand._

 _"I can't smile," she said solemly._

 _The Hunter gave a half smile, then turned the doll towards him._

 _"Try this," he said._

 _He placed the index finger of his left hand against the corner of his mouth and pushed it up, forming his mouth into a half smile. The doll mirrored what he did. The Hunter pulled out Reiterpallasch and held the flatof the blade so the doll could see her own relfection._

 _"A smile suites you. You should try it more often," the Hunter said, giving her a return smile._

* * *

"Hey, Crimson, anybody home!" Ebony said, waving her hand in front of his face.

The airship had come to a complete stop, signalling they had made it to town. She had noticed Crimson's eyes had glossed over slightly, as if not seeing what was in front of him. However, instead of the wild stare from earlier, it was a sad longing stare. After a moment, he shook his head and looked at her, quizzically.

"I'm sorry. I was thinking of a friend," Crimson said, wiping his eyes free.

Ebony didn't ask as she just pulled him towards the exit.

* * *

A/N: To clarify (if it wasn't obvious), **bold words** is Neo "speaking" (more like typing) to other characters. Later on Crimson will learn sign and be able to communicate like that, however her speaking style will not change. How was it? I hope I made the characters seem different and not sound the same, as it is one of my bad areas in writing. If not I will try and fix it as the story progresses.

As always, please review. I enjoy critiques. Any questions just ask through a review, comment or PM.


	6. Vale

Currently Crimson was standing in front of a mirror looking at his reflection. He was currently wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, with a dark violet T-shirt, which was a size too big, under a white jacket. He still had his boots on with the gauntlets, which were tucked under the sleeves of the jacket, he had been wearing. After putting his hat back on, he stepped out of the changing booth and stood in front of the girls as they looked him over.

"Well, how do I look? Do I look like I at least fit in?" he asked raising a brow.

" **You look fine. Plenty of Huntsmen and Huntresses walk around wearing armor so it won't look out of place** ," Neo typed on her scroll with a smile.

Ebony had an analytical grin on her face as she walked around him. "I could have sworn you were a large for the shirt?" she mumbled to herself, though Crimson did pick up on it.

"Is that what you thought? Well, besides the shirt being big, I'm surprised you were able to get me the right size for clothes," Crimson said looking down at his shirt.

"Well, I'm good with guessing," she said, still in thought. "At first I was cautious about your hat, but it has a strange way of adding to your look. I think you need a trim, or different hairstyle. What do you think Neo?"

Crimson looked over to one of the standing mirrors beside the booths, looking at his braided hair. During the hunt he didn't have to worry about his hair. The hunters and beastmen he fought never used it as an advantage in battle, nor did they seem to have noticed it.

He faintly heard Ebony talking as he noticed one of his scars poking out from under his hair. The one he received when he first died to that werewolf. He shook his head, stamping down the memory that wanted to make itself known before it did. Then a thought came to mind.

 _'Wait, hair cut means a blade close to my neck,'_ he thought.

"You know, I like my hair as it is," he said, looking at Ebony.

"But you really should get it trimmed. You need to keep up on the care for it," she countered.

Crimson shot Neo a hopeful glance. It wasn't that he didn't want his hair trimmed, he was thinking about the safety of the person cutting it. He didn't trust himself to sit still while they went to cut it.

Luckily for him, Neo picked up on his worry. She flashed him an apologetic smile then slapped Ebony across the back of her head. When Ebony went to retort, Neo only shook her head.

"Alright, fine. We should get going anyway," Ebony sighed, looking at her scroll. Crimson paid for his clothes at the counter before they left the store.

Crimson was glad he found out that the coins he had collected were actually worth quite a lot in this word than in Yharnam. He wouldn't have to worry about money for a couple years if he could keep it well managed. Ebony had also shown him how to use his scroll while the workers were processing the newfound fortune he handed them, even though he decided to hold on to half of the coins he had for emergency money later on down the road.

The three teammates stood on the side walk looking around at their surroundings.

"What are we suppose to do now?" Crimson asked.

"Well, we could go get some food," Ebony suggested.

Crimson's stomach growled, almost comically loud. It suddenly became apparent to him how long it had been since he last had food. During the hunt, he was sustained by blood. Since he didn't need to concentrate on food, he was able to focus on the hunt and mastering all of the weapons he came across. However, since he didn't have the dream to sustain him, base necessities, such as food, would need to be taken care of.

"Sounds like a good idea. Where can we get some?"

Neo waved her hand to get the others attention, lifting her scroll for them to see.

" **I know a great place next to the dust shop,** " Neo had typed, pointing down the road.

"Dust shop? Why would you buy or sell dust?" Crimson asked.

Ebony looked at him quizzically while Neo silently laughed.

"What?" Crimson asked.

"How do you not know what dust is?" Ebony asked.

"Dust is fine, dry powder consisting of dirt and other impireties. What else is it?"

Neo tapped Ebony on the shoulder drawing her attention.

" **Remember he's not from here and is behind on his information.** "

Ebony smacked her forehead, "Right, stupid me."

Neo starts walking down the street in the direction she had pointed a moment ago. She waved over her shoulder for them to follow. Ebony and Crimson followed after.

"The Dust we were talking about is the leading source of energy here on Remnant. There are also a lot of other uses for it. Hunters use it for combat uses mainly," she informed.

"I see. How do you use it in combat?"

Ebony pulled a deck of multiple colored cards from her pocket, "Well, I use dust infused cards as my main weapon. Each color had a different infusion of the eight types of Dust; Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, Ice, Lightning, Steam, and Gravity. Along with there main type, I can do different affects by throwing two or more different cards in a single attack."

"Fascinating," he said, thinking hard about the different possibilities he could do with them.

"I know right. Most people use it in bullets-" Ebony ran right into Neo, who had stopped in her tracks. She was looking to her right.

When Crimson turned to see what she was looking at, he found a the aftermath of a destroyed store. There was yellow ribbon across one of the two windows and the double doors. The yellow ribbon also marked our a large area in front of the store. Four men in white shirts, black tie, and black pants were scattered about.

"What happened here?" Ebony asked.

"What's it look like happened?" the nearest man said.

"Sorry, I was just curious. No need to be snappy," Ebony countered.

"Better run along kid. Don't go putting your nose where it don't need to be," the man ordered before walking away.

Crimson looked over to Neo, who had a solemn expression. For some reason, the expression didn't look right on her face. Even though, he had only met her a couple hours ago, she had been smiling the entire time. Her smile showed a confidence that could rival any seasoned fighter. Crimson shook his head as she pulled out her scroll, turning back towards the direction she was originally going. He tapped Ebony's shoulder and beckoned her to follow.

"What was his problem?" Ebony asked. Crimson only shrugged.

"Do you think you were the first to ask him what happened? He's probably tired of people asking the same question," Crimson said, glancing over at Neo, who was still typing on her scroll.

"Yeah, I guess I'd be irritated too. So, Neo, where is this restaurant you were leading us too?" Ebony asked, apparently snapping Neo from her thoughts.

She quickly looked around then pointed at a small shop. The shop had four stools at an outdoor glass covered bar. Inside the glass was several different dishes ranging from beef to salmon. The shop was small, but Neo seemed to brighten up as they walked closer.

"Ah, Neo sweetheart," began an old man as he stepped from behind a curtain," who have you brought with you this time?"

Neo started making different gestures with her hands, causing him to look to Ebony for an explanation.

"Since Neo is mute, she knows sign language. How else would she communicate if she didn't have her scroll or a pen and paper," she whispered.

"I see, do you now what she's saying?" Crimson whispered back. Neo and the shop keep were in a very extensive conversation, their hands moving fast.

"Well, Orion is better at it than I am, and her last partner was as fluent as she is," Ebony said, trailing off as a shadow passed over her face. Crimson didn't have to be a mind reader to know that something happened to their last team mate. It ended up explaining why Orion was cold with him earlier. They all were still morning over a lost comrade.

"Well, we all had to learn so we could communicate out in the field. That being said, I only know the basics. I believe she's introducing us," Ebony said, wiping her eyes. Crimson decided to ask later about it. Probably when they became a little more friendly with each other. Right on cue, however, the man looked over at them with a wide smile. "Well, I welcome Neo's team as much as I welcome her. She is a regular you know."

"Is she?" Ebony asked. Looking over to Neo who nodded.

"Yes she is. She's here every Friday for dinner," the man said. "Anyway, what can I get you for dinner?"

* * *

 _A/N: So, this chapter was hard to write and had been rewritten three different times. I also wanted to give a rough time when this story happens during the RWBY timeline. Now, the dust shop that was hit, is **not** the same one Team RWBY came across in the show. That is roughly a week later._

 _Sorry if this chapter didn't read right, but like I said, it was hard to write. Next chapter, Crimson's first night outside of the infirmary, and how he spends his night without the hunt... Hopefully._

 _As always, please review. Any questions, just ask in a review or PM me._


	7. New Friend

_The Hunter made his way up the steps of the Grand Cathedral into the large central room. Large windows surrounded by the columns of carved stone, lined the walls leading to the alter. The floor had cracked stone slabs, even the decorative designs being broken. The far end of the room sat a gold altar with several candles lit. Statues with hands raised, almost receiving an offering, or towards the central statue. The center statue, was that of a headless woman pouring a vase over the alter. Kneeling in front of the altar on a large decorative stone circle, a figure had their back to the Hunter. They where dressed in a tattered white garb with the hood pulled over their head. From the person's voice that echoed throughout the room, the hunter knew it was a woman as she chanted._

 _"Remain wary of the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young. Were it not for fear, death would go unlamented. Seek the old blood. Let us pray, let us wish… to partake in communion. Let us partake in communion… and feast upon the old blood. Our thirst for blood satiates us, soothes our fears. Seek the old blood. But beware the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young. The foul beasts will dangle nectar and lure the meek into the depths. Remain wary of the frailty of men," she chanted, repeating the verse._

 _"Excuse me, Miss. It's not safe for you to be out this time of night. The hunt is on and you should be somewhere safe," the Hunter said, taking cautious steps towards her._

 _"Were it not for fear death…" the woman tailed off._

 _"Miss, are you alright?"_

 _She began to heave, rocking back and forth as she wheezed, trying desperately to claim any breath. She suddenly threw her head back, an inhuman moan of pain ripped through the air. A high pitch scream filled the quiet air as the sound of bones breaking could be heard. Convulsing forward, her body began to grow unsettling and vicious. The bones in her back forcing the muscles to move as they spaced themselves. Sounds of rushing blood crept into the air as her spine rapidly spiked from her back. Her moan became more beast like as she changed._

 _As if her body couldn't handle the change anymore, her back ripped open sending blood all around her. It covered the statues that were closest, also coating the front side of the altar she was chanting at. The blood even splashed onto the hunter, covering the front half of his body. Her moans and cries of pain were deep and animalistic. Her garb becoming shredded, giving it a white fur like appearance. Her arms growing in length , covered in bandages. Her legs changing to look to that of the hind legs of a fox with long talons._

 _Her moans stopped and where replaced with a deep growl. She turned her head around, revealing it to resemble that of a horned grey fox. Her eyes where covered with more bandages. She was clutching something in her hands, that had increased in size with the addition of long talons. Her growling grew until it turned into a high pitched, blood chilling screech._

 _She then pounced at the Hunter, who dodges left of her. He then backpedals as she starts swiping with her right hand. He studies her attack pattern as he dodges around her, his cautious nature shifting to that of a Hunter. He had studied her enough and decided to go on the offense. He dodged to the side then started attacking with his Threaded Cane. He would attack, then dodged her counter attacks, then continue to attack. Yet, when the beast raised her hands up, the Hunter didn't dodge back enough as she grabbed him. She lifted him to almost eye level as her mouth opened, showing her sharp teeth and long slender tongue. She then bites down on the hunter, taking his entire left shoulder and side into her mouth. As his blood pours down his chest and back, she viciously rips her teeth from his flesh. Slamming the hunter down after wards, she bellows towards the sky._

* * *

Crimson bolted straight up in his bed, a thin layer of sweat covering his skin. He breathed heavily looking around quickly, gathering his surroundings. He was in his bed inside of the team dorm room. He whipped the sweat from his forehead, and slowly got up from his bed. Glancing around, relieved to find that he didn't wake anyone up, he walked over to his desk. His top hat and decorative knife sitting organized on the surface, he grabbed them both. He also grabbed his scroll and left the room. He began to wonder around, looking for the stairs. Once he found them, he walked up to the top, exiting the building onto the roof.

He looked around and found that he was alone. While inhaling he walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down, while crossing his legs. He took the top hat off and set it to the side, but not before he untied the ribbon and holding it delicately. Thinking about his nightmare as the scar from that bite began to burn.

He rolled up his right sleeve, showing the hundreds of tally marks, each a reminder of being alive. One could see that the cuts started off jagged, as if he didn't have a straight blade to make the cuts with. Yet they turned into thin lines, showing he had found a suitable blade to make them with. He brought the blade of his knife close to his wrist, making a small cut with it. The smell of his blood filled his senses, giving a shock to his nerves. He smiled as he felt the shock, a sign that he was still alive. He wiped the blade, removing the small amount of blood on it, with the blood stained ribbon. After replacing the knife and unrolling his sleeve, he held the ribbon to his chest. He looked towards the shattered moon, allowing his mind to wonder, as he bathed in the moonlight.

The hunter had no idea of how long he sat there, staring up at the moon and thinking upon this new world he was in. He was suddenly pulled from his thoughts as the smell of paper, forest, and a scent he was all too familiar with. He didn't turn to look for the possible threat. Already knowing that the scent of beasts was present on the humans who had animal traits.

' _Might as well get a few answers from one of them_ ,' he thought.

"Can I help you?" Crimson asked the new person.

"How did you know I was here?" a female voice came from behind him.

"Though I may not be a Hunter of your world, in mine, I was. I could smell you," he said, not looking. "Care to join me and answer some of my questions?"

He heard the figure move and sit down beside him. He looked over to see a woman, roughly his age. She had long, raven black hair, with a black silk bow atop her head. She wore a black short yukata, with gray and white accents, along with a pair of black flats. Her amber eyes scanned over Crimson as she sat beside him.

"So, can I help you, miss?" Crimson asked.

"I saw you walking around and was curious to see what you were up to," she said looking away.

"Well, I don't believe that one bit. You probably smelled the blood on me and wanted to know why it's apart of my sent." Though he was looking back out over the campus, he could see the blush spread across her face. He decided to just go right out and ask his question. "Could you tell me why some humans have animal traits, while others don't? I would like to know from someone who has them, makes it a less biased opinion."

"H-how did you know?" She asked, looking at him with wide eyes.

"I could smell the animal blood coursing through your veins. Plus, who in their right mind would not only sleep in a silk bow, but wear it so far forward? Honestly I don't know how someone didn't notice it before," Crimson chuckled.

Her face turned scarlet.

"One reason could be because you don't want people to know. Especially those closest to you, though I don't know why. It doesn't seem to be a bad thing like in my world."

"You keep saying 'your world,' almost like you aren't even from here. Aren't you from here?" She asked.

"Well, I come from a different place that is ran by different rules. That is all I'm going to say on the matter. That is if you don't answer my question," he said, giving her a pointed look.

"You can't tell anyone about me being a Faunus. No one can know," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Miss, you are going to have to be a lot more intimidating than that if you want to threaten me. The things I have experienced dwarfs anything anyone on this planet has gone through. Trust me on that," he said, staring her down. Even though his posture showed how relaxed he was, his eyes flashed to that of crimson rings for a moment. Then as fast as they had changed, they where back to normal, causing the woman to back down and look away. He flashed a calm smile. "Plus, it is your secret to keep not mine to spread. I know the need for privacy."

She exhaled softly, then turned back towards him.

"Okay, I believe you. I'm what we call a Faunus, humans with animal traits. Some have the ears, tails, horns, eyes, or tongues even," she explained.

"Why do you hide then? If it is so common, why not show yourself to others?"

"Well, we are kind of the bottom of the social ladder. Most people look down on us. With the White Fang, it makes it harder for us to change their views," she said, her hand reaching up to rub the bow.

"Who or what is the White Fang?" Crimson asked, noticing her solemn expression.

"They are a group of misguided Faunus who protest how we're treated. They use to be peaceful, but everything changed when new leadership took over. Signs and peaceful protest were replaced with weapons and riots. Which further degrading our standing in the populous."

"I see. You hide because you want people to see you for you and not the Faunus you are. Be glad you weren't born into my world. You would have been in a worse situation than you are in now," Crimson said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

Crimson thought about his answer. He could tell her the truth, and possibly make an enemy or another cautious set of eyes watching him. Yet, he didn't want to make her paranoid when being around him. She was shaking up to be a possible friend.

"It's in the past. There is no reason to dwell on it," he said kindly with a sad smile.

She looked as if to press the issue, but when she made eye contact with him, all worries seemed to die. She nodded her head, then turned towards the shattered moon. Crimson dropped his hand from her shoulder as a comfortable silence fell between them.

"Does your team know?" He asked, though after she didn't reply he continued, "You should tell them about being a Faunus. It would be a start to getting people to trust you. Who knows? Maybe you could actually let your ears breathe at night instead of restricting them. Must be painful at times."

The silence grew between them. Crimson looked over to his unexpected companion to see that she had removed her ribbon. Atop her head, a pair of violet panther ears where exposed for all to see. She was running her fingers across her ribbon, deep in thought. Crimson tapped her on the shoulder, drawing her attention.

"They do look rather nice. Give some thought on telling them. They may surprise you. Now, it's getting rather late. We should probably head back to our rooms before our teams come looking for us," he suggested.

He tied his ribbon back around his top hat before standing. He grabbed the decorative knife before offering a hand to the woman. After she retired her own bow over her ears, she accepted the offer. She blushed slightly when Crimson pulled her to her feet with no effort. They both then started to make their way back to their rooms.

"By the way, I never asked for your name," Crimson said, breaking the silence that had fallen.

"Blake, and yours?"

"Crimson, at your service," he said tipping his hat to her. The soon parted ways at the end of the hallway that lead to Blake's room. After saying good night they went back to their rooms to get some rest.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review. If you have any questions, review, comment, or PM me.

Update: Sorry about the mess of a chapter this was. Hope I fixed most of (definitely not all) the mistakes. If not I'm sorry and will get to them.


	8. First Day

_A/N: I re-uploaded the last chapter. Hopefully I fixed my mistakes for it._

* * *

The rest of the weekend was rather uneventful. Crimson had received his school uniform, and his team, mainly Ebony and Neo, told him how their average day would go. Orion was on edge all weekend and barely spoke a full sentence to him. He just brushed it off, thinking it was due to him being new.

Before Crimson knew it, he was through a second night of nightmares and no sleep. Then he was making his way towards his first class with his partner. He wore the school uniform like every other male walking around the Academy. It consisted of a black suit lined with gold, with a blue vest and a white shirt. A red tie tied the whole look together. He still wore his top hat, being told by Neo that he would be fine, as long as he didn't wear it during class. He carried his supplies for class under his arm, while the rest was in the satchel he had slung over his shoulder. In his free hand was his scroll. Neo wore the same uniform, except with a plad skirt, black stockings, and her gloves.

" **Nervous for your first day?** " Neo had messaged him.

"No, not really. I'm kind of excited though. The closest to going to school I got was dealing with a lecture hall that was full of slim beasts. It wasn't fun," Crimson said aloud, forcing the memory of the Lecture Building out of his mind.

He didn't want to go back there, nor experience a reliving while around others. He was glad that he didn't go into a killing frenzy while he experienced them, but didn't want to push his luck.

" **Really? Sounds like it was a fun time. Will I ever hear more about your world?** " the new message read.

"Maybe later," he replied. True he hadn't told his team much about his past, but it wasn't without cause. He didn't want them seeing him as a monster. Plus he hadn't fully come to terms with his sins just yet, even with them haunting him.

 _"In case you fail to realize, the things you hunt they're not beasts, they're people. Give it some thought," Djura said, his face flashing before Crimson's eyes. He was to late to stop it._

 _"Not a pretty sight, is it? The true face of the blood worshiping, beast purging Healing Church," Simon spat, his covered face coming into view. "Do you know why hunters are drawn to this Nightmare? Because it sprouted from their very misdeeds."_

As Crimson walked, seemingly lost in his head, Neo saw the change in his eyes. From the normal bronze with crimson wisps they turned into the crimson loops. She didn't know if he knew about his eyes changing, usually when he was deep in thought. She guessed it only happened when he thought about Yharnam. She looked back in front of them, just in time to see someone she didn't want to see. Walking toward them, his unmistakable burnt orange hair and indigo eyes staring them down.

Cardin made his way, on course to ram his his shoulder into Crimson's. Normally it would cause the unsuspecting person to fall to the ground. Sending what they were carrying all over the floor. However, as soon as Cardin's shoulder made contact with Crimson's body, Cardin found himself on his back. The blade of a sword pressed to his neck. Cardin's eyes stared up the sword into the lifeless eyes of Crimson, the crimson loops striking an unknown fear in the man.

Neo quickly stepped between the two, pushing the sword away from Cardin with one hand. With the other, she waved her scroll in Crimson's face trying to draw his attention. A moment later, the loops in Crimson's eyes faded back into wisps. He blinked several times, shaking the thoughts from his head. He finally noticed that Neo was standing between him and another student, who had a look of fear in his eyes. Crimson stepped back, quickly replacing his sword back into his satchel.

"I am terribly sorry for that. My body reacts on its own before I can process it most of the time. Please tell me I didn't draw blood?" Crimson asked, offering a hand to the downed man.

He bats Crimson's hand away, pulling himself to his feet. "Watch where you're going next time," he said walking pass Crimson.. Crimson watched him leave, only to feel someone tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Neo holding up her scroll.

" **That was Cardin. He's a bully, so don't worry about the cold shoulder,** " the message read.

"I've been in colder places," Crimson chuckled. Neo smiled and shook her head with a smile. "Shall we continue on to class?"

They walked into the Lecture Hall for Grimm Studies. The room was spacious with four rows of desks. Each on a different level leading down to the main floor of the room. A large, semi-circle desk sat on a slight raised platform a the front of the room. The wall behind the desk housed several different sketches with notes written around them. Each sketch was of a different beast Crimson didn't know anything about. One looked like a cross between a werewolf and a troll, while another resembled an armored boar.

"So many beasts to hunt. How do you keep track of them all?" Crimson wondered aloud. He didn't realize it until he saw several other students glance towards him. His scroll vibrated in his hand, drawing his attention from the others.

" **Just a reminder, don't stare to much. You will draw more attention to yourself,** " the message from Neo read. Crimson flashed her a quick smile before seeing Ebony waving them over to where she and Orion sat.

Just as they joined their team, a slightly over weight, middle-aged man walked into the room. He wore a double breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons. His dark pants where tucked into knee high, dark ash grey boots. His grey hair was parted down the middle, while his grey mustache covered the bottom half of his face.

He walked to the front of the class, looking at a book in his hands. After a short moment, he closed it then tossed it onto the front desk. The bell rang, signalling the start of class.

"Good morning class. Today we will be studying how Beowolves stalk their prey," he began, starting off the lecture.

Crimson was busy writing down everything the teacher was saying about the Grimm. In his notebook, Crimson had drawn a perfect copy of the Beowolf sketch at the front of the classroom. He took down the relevant notes when the teacher began telling of a tale of how he had captured a live Beowolf. By the end of class, he had gathered more information about the Beowolves than most did in an entire week from the class. Though, most of his information was speculated, and it depended on the drawings accuracy.

As the students began to filter out of the class and onto their next one, Crimson walked up to the teacher. He currently had his back to the rest of the room.

"Excuse me sir," Crimson asked. The man turned around and looked Crimson over before his brows raised.

"My boy, I forgot to introduce you to the class today, didn't I?"

"Well, yes, but that isn't why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to know if my speculations on Beowolves was correct," Crimson informed, handing his notebook over to the teacher.

"Well, before I look this over, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Professor Port, one of the Huntsmen who teach here at Beacon Academy. Well I guess that is obvious," Port said flipping through the notebook quickly. He skimmed each page quickly and efficiently.

"I'm sorry for asking this, but has Professor Ozpin talked to the staff about my, how should I say, lack of education?" Crimson asked, keeping his voice low enough for only Port to hear.

"Yes he has, however, I don't think you will have a problem in my class. You picked out most of the weaknesses of a Beowolf from a drawing. I do not doubt you will do well in my class. Most of those speculations are spot on, but don't let that go to your head. Keep studying the Grimm, no matter how much you know about them," he said, handing the book back.

"Thank you professor. I look forward to your next class," Crimson said, sliding the book back with the rest. He turned to see Neo patiently waiting for him. He quickly joined her and they began heading towards their next class.

"Sorry for making you wait," Crimson said. Neo waved it off as they fell into a comfortable silence.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without anything spectacular happeening. Crimson found that he understood Remnant History and Weapons, but struggled with Dust Mechanics. Neo gave him her notes, which Crimson quickly copied, when they returned to the dorm. Crimson found himself walking around campus, after he changed into a different outfit. He couldn't decide on what to do. Neo had told him that there wasn't much to do on campus except practice or study at the library. He would have liked to go spar with someone, seeing as it had been a couple days since he had last used his weapons. Yet he had no one to ask. Neo had to go into Vale for an errand, while Ebony had gone to find Orion. His thoughts drifted to his team leader.

 _'I wonder what has Orion on edge. Could be me, though I don't know why. Then again, he has been avoiding me,'_ Crimson thought, looking around absently.

Suddenly he bumped into someone. Then, just like earlier that morning, he found himself looking down at a person. Said person was currently staring up the sword pressed to her neck with wide silver eyes. She wore a black sleeved dress with red fringe poking from the bottom of her skirt. She also had a black corset with red decorative ribbon. A belt of bullets and a silver burning rose hung around her waist. Two silver crosses pinned the girls red cloak to her shoulders.

Crimson was about to speak when he jumped back, missing a black gloved fist aimed for his head. The temperature rose slightly, causing him to look and see a blonde woman, with bright red eyes, glaring at him. She wore a tan vest with gold piping over a yellow low-cut crop top with a black crest that resembles a burning heart. The vest has puffy cap sleeves with black cuffs. She had black shorts with a pleated white skirt in the back. Over the short shorts but under the belt is a leather asymmetrical back skirt.

"Lay of my sister, you ass," the blond said, slamming her fists together. An explosion of heat filled the area as her two gold bracelets morphed into two gauntlets.

Crimson recognized the threat she displayed as a smile spread across his face. His posture became relaxed but tense, eyes changing to the crimson loops.

 _'I didn't mean anything by it. I wasn't paying attention and my body reacts on its own. I am terribly sorry,'_ Crimson thought he said, though the words didn't sound right to his ears.

"Bring it on. You aren't the first hunter I've faced," Crimson said, his eyes glaring back at the woman.

 _'No no no no. I didn't mean to say that,'_ Crimson thought.

"I hope you aren't all hat and no cattle. It would be a shame since you seem to be over compensating," she replied.

A deep chuckle filled the air as Crimson said, "Oh, I could ask the same about your hair, but I didn't want to be rude."

She bolted forward, throwing a right hook towards him. Crimson swapped his Rakuyo to his right had, bringing up his left to block. He then brought his blade diagonally to her chest and pressed it against her. This caused her to stop and look down, shock filling her red eyes. She jumped back to see that the blade hadn't cut her clothes nor the skin it was pressed against. A single ring filled the air, causing her to look up to see Crimson had changed his twinblade into the dual swords.

 _'Stop, I don't want to fight you,'_ Crimson thought.

"So dramatic in your fighting. I could see that attack coming from a mile away," Crimson said.

 _'No, why am I not saying what I want to say?'_

The woman then began attacking. Crimson dodged every single attack, narrowly missing the gunshots that came from her gauntlets. He directed every swing of her fists over his shoulder, around his side, or even over his head. His smile never faltered as gunshots filled the air.

Realization suddenly hit Crimson hard. He could see what was happening, but couldn't control himself. All because he was in danger. From the constant threat of death around every corner in Yharnam had broken his senses. Even though they became enhanced, he always found himself seeing the after math of a fight. Not aware of the fight, but knowing he had participated.

He didn't attack anyone earlier because his body recognized it wasn't in danger. With the surprise attack the blonde through at him, his body went on the defensive. He also noticed he was gathering intel on her fighting style, only dodging her attacks.

Crimson wasn't sure of how long until he would switch it up, but knew it would be soon. He needed to gain control again before he killed her.

Crimson's body kept dodging until the long dagger in his right hand found some blood. The blood absorbed itself into the blade. He then found that he suddenly had control over his body again. He looked over to see a cut on the girl's arm that was bleeding, only a small amount. Crimson saw the change in her behavior, changing from beat-em-up to kill. He quickly glanced down at his right hand, seeing several gold strands hanging from the guard. He quickly shoved his weapon into the satchel, then threw it way before his body could react. She then launched herself into another set of attacks, each full of killing intent.

Almost like a lever was flipped in his mind, Crimson knew exactly how she fought. Her entire skill set engraved into his mind. His instincts took over, causing him to bring up his hands. He mirrored her stance like a perfect shadow. He then proceeded to counter every single attack she threw at him. Thanks to having some control, he was able to pull some of the punches back. Yet he still struggled with dodging into her attacks. They countered blows back and forth, Crimson landing hits on her in the exact same spot she was aiming for on him.

Crimson finally gained full control of his body once again, landing a quick strike to the side of her neck. The force strong enough to knock her unconscious, but not enough to kill. Her eyes rolled back in her head, then she slumped forward. Crimson caught her before she could hit the ground. He then laid her on her back. Sighing, he looked around, noticing the cowed that had appeared during the fight. Each person with a stunned look on their face. The girl in the black dress from earlier appeared next to him, a trail of roses falling to the ground.

Crimson was bombarded with the smell of strawberries and roses. Shaking his head, he looked to the girl. She was looking over the wound on the other girls arm.

"I am terribly sorry for that," Crimson said quickly, voice full of worry. "When I'm in danger or something surprises me, my body goes on the defense before I can react. Most of the time it recognizes I'm not in danger, but when she started attacking I couldn't gain control. I am so sorry for the fight."

"Calm down. That was amazing! As far as I know, nobody is able to go toe-to-toe with Yang like that," she said.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, it's fine. Yang is very protective of me. When she saw the sword to my neck she kind of lost it," the girl explained.

"I see. And you are?" Crimson asked.

"Oh, that's right. You are the new guy that showed up last week. I'm Ruby, leader of team RWBY. Before you say anything, it wasn't intentional," Ruby said glancing over to the discarded satchel. Before Crimson could move to retrieve it, Ruby blurred. The satchel disappeared from its spot on the ground then found itself in her hands. She held it towards Crimson.

"And sorry for bumping into you before the fight. I wasn't paying attention. By the way, you moved really fast. Every time Yang threw a punch, you were already there to block it. It was so cool. I also like your weapon. The twinblade turning into a dual sword mode is awesome. It also looked really old, but I've never seen one like that in the history books. Usually unique swords like that are known, but I haven't seen anything on it," she said, her speech increasing in speed to that of Dr. Oobleck's level.

"Miss Ruby, please slow down. I could barely follow Dr. Oobleck earlier, and I would like to follow what you are saying. But, should we take your sister back to her dorm?" Crimson asked. After looking around, he found that the three of them were alone. Everyone had left after the fight, and the sun was beginning to set over the buildings.

Ruby looked around too, then nodded.

"Yeah, we probably should. I don't think Blake would like it if I just left her. I also don't want her hunting you down later for just leaving her on the ground. Wait, how did you knock her out? Her semblance allows her to absorb kinetic energy?"

"Well, I just his a specific nerve that when hit directly with cause the victim to black out for a while. I will say that she will have a major headache when she wakes up," Crimson said, picking Yang up bridal style. "Which way to her room?"

Ruby smiled before walking towards the dorms. It didn't take long for them to make it to Ruby's room. It just so happened to be around the corner from Crimson's. Ruby opened the door for Crimson, allowing him to carry Yang into the room.

"Good, you two are back from your little talk..." a voice began, but trailed off. Crimson looked over to the desk next to the door to see a girl dressed in a white combat dress.

"Yang's bed is the top bunk," Ruby said, drawing Crimson back from his observation.

He looked at Ruby who was pointing to a pair of roughly stacked beds pressed against the wall. Crimson walked over and laid Yang on her bed, his height helping him out quite a bit. Once he was done, he looked around the room. The beds were arranged into makeshift bunk beds, with one being suspended by ropes. The rest of the room was arranged similarly to his own, which he found kind of comical. Still sitting at the desk by the door, the white themed girl was staring at him intently.

"Weiss, please don't be rude. Crimson was only helping me carry Yang back," Ruby said.

"And why, pray tell, was he carrying her back? What did the brute do to have to be carried back to her room by some stranger?" Weiss asked.

"Crimson Moon at your service, Miss," Crimson said bowing slightly.

"Wait a minute, you were the one that fell on me last week!" Weiss exclaimed, voice full of anger. Crimson knew exactly where this would go and bolted for the door. He did not want to start another fight.

* * *

 _A/N: Well, that happened. So, Crimson can learn a persons fighting style from contact with their blood. Whether from it coming into contact with it personally or n his weapon. During my play though Bloodborne, I would always try to fight each Hunter with their own weapon. I thought this also kind of explained how the Hunter could master any weapon he picked up.. Later it will be explained in more detail in the actual story. And before I get rage comments about it. It is not the same as Velvet's Mimic semblance. Yes its similar, but not the same. Crimson NEEDS the blood contact to LEARN the fighting style. Velvet does it through watching and her pictures._

 _Also, since Yang's semblance is never actually explained in full detail, I made up what it is to an extent. She converts the kinetic energy from attack into potential energy, allowing it to store. Then when she "releases it" she is simply changing the stored potential energy back into kinetic energy. And the fire effect is just the excess burning off. Did I say that right. Also hope that simple brawl wasn't to crappy, though I will most likely o back and re-edit it later._

 _Hopefully y'all enjoyed the chapter. Sorry for the wait but I was slammed with writers block half way through this chapter and didn't want to just stop it at only 514 words and I edited chapter 7. As always, leave a review. Any questions ask in a review, comment, or PM me._


	9. Scars

_The woman was sitting in her chair, twinblade leaning against her. She had her head bowed forward, her chest rising and falling slow and even. She had on a leather three point hunter hat with a silver feather attached to the left side and hanging off the back. Her garb had a two layered leather shoulder guards over an ash brown coat. On the edges was a thick band of elegant designs. She wore a brown jerkin underneath with a white boadus, that had a changing color gem inside the neck tie. She had her legs crossed, wearing a pair of brown striped trousers, and knee high brown and black leather boots. Her hands, which were covered by leather gloves, were crossed and sat on her lap._

 _The hunter walked closer to her. On a small round table next to her was a goblet, with a red liquid inside, that sat next to a broken picture. The break distorted the picture, making it unrecognizable. The hunter holstered his gun, then reached to lightly shake her awake. Suddenly her left hand jumped and grabbed his forearm, and she pulled him close, her face next to his ear._

 _"A corpse... should be left well alone," she whispered._

 _'That voice, where have I heard it before,' the hunter thought. She had moved faster than he was expecting and didn't catch her face, but he did see she had gray hair up in a curly ponytail._

 _She slid back, brushing her hand down his arm before letting go. He got a sense of deja vu, until he saw her face. That small nose. Her small mouth set in a thin line. Her pail skin. Even her grey eyes. 'She looks exactly like the Plain Doll of the Dream, or was it the other way around. Was the doll a replica of Lady Maria?'_

 _"Oh, I know very well. How the secrets beckon so sweetly," she spoke affectionately as she rose from her chair. She grabbed her twinblade in both hands. "Only an honest death will cure you now," she pulled the twinblade to form a katana and short saber, "liberate you, from your wild curiosity."_

 _The hunter had back up several paces as she spoke. He didn't want to fight this woman. This woman who looked like the one peaceful aspect of this nightmare hunt. Who looked like the person who has shown nothing but kindness and affection. He couldn't._

 _"Lady Maria, please stop. Let us talk about this," the hunter pleaded, not afraid but wanting to avoid the fight, dodging every attack she through at him._

 _He knew the woman standing before him was not the Doll he had come to call friend. Yet every time he looked at her, her clothes changed to that of the doll. Her soulless grey eyes showed the warmth that the doll's eyes had. He watched as the shaul the doll wore swayed as she attacked. Her dress flowing across the room as she advanced. He watched how the light bounced off her hair as it trailed behind._

 _The hunter miss stepped, and Maria was able to land a strong attack on him, causing him to stagger. She dashed forward and, like all hunters are able to do, plunged her and into his chest. The hunter gasped, but then Maria brought him close and wrapped her free arm around him, embracing him._

 _She leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Please."_

 _She then withdrew her hand and let the hunter fall down, taking a step back. The hunter dragged himself up to his feet and nodded, feeling the all to familiar blood trail down his chest. He used a blood vial and felt the wound heal instantly. He locked eyes with Maria, separating the Blades of Mercy into its twin dagger form. His face became as emotionless as Maria's, except for a single blood stained tear rolling down his face. He grabbed a hold of the Old Hunter Bone and activated it._

 _Maria attacked first, but the hunter was ready for it. Deep in his subconscious, while he dodged and tried to avoid the fight, he studied her attack pattern. Knowing the perfect time to dodge, then punish. He lived up to being a Hunter of Hunters, and as he fought Maria, he thought upon why he chose to follow Eileen the Crow._

 _"This too is hoonters' work, but bears no honor. A burden you may choose to carry," Eileen had told him when she gave him the Crow Hunter Badge and the Hunter Caryll Rune. She was right, and it took this fight for him to realize that. Hunters must die. Whether it be during the hunt, when they get drunk with the bloodlust, or when they can not stomach the hunt no more. A hunter will always hunt, but to stop them before they go to far, or if they have, is the job of a Hunter of Hunters._

 _This had no honor. To have to slay down a fellow hunter was not honorable. To stop them in their madness or before they reach it, for few hunters can resist the intoxication of the hunt. And it falls upon those few to be able to save their fellow hunters from themselves._

 _The hunter dodged under a swipe from Maria, which brought him back to reality. Seeing how close that attack came, he realized her swords where now covered in blood thus giving them a longer reach. The hunter went in close, a longer reach means harder to defend against close attacks. Which was what his Blades of Mercy were best at._

 _He unleashed a barrage of swift attacks. After each one connected, he would dash around using the Art of Quickening that the Old Hunter Bone allowed him. Yet Maria was one of the first hunters under Gehrman's teaching and knew how to use it, but with years of experience with it. The two became shrouded as smoke stood where they once where. Both seemingly even is skill with their weapons of choice, almost teleporting around the room, with swords clashing. Cuts and bruises soon lined both of their bodies from the constant battle they had. Neither one using a blood vial to heal not wanting to give an opening for an attack. At some point, Maria's attacks became coated in fire, but that didn't slow their fight._

 _Then, everything went silent. The clashing if swords stopped. The swooshing of the two hunters ceased. Only heavy breathing could be heard from both hunters. The hunter looked down to see the dagger in his left hand had landed its final attack on Maria, sticking the sword into her heart. Her swords clattered to the ground as she dropped them and fell forward. The hunt caught her, and laid her down on her back._

 _"Thank you, good Hunter. You were the one I have been waiting for. You have ended my suffering. I may finally rest peacefully now," she whispered with a small smile. She inhaled one last time. Her chest stopped rising and she began to fade, like all hunters who died at the Hunter's blades. The hunter closed her eyes before she faded away entirely. He closed his eyes, taking several shakey breaths._

 _"That was Maria, and not the Doll. Maria not the Doll," he chanted as the tears began to fall. "MARIA NOT THE DOLL!" he yelled into the room._

* * *

"Maria, not the doll," Crimson moaned in his sleep. He repeated the words, tossing and turning in his bed.

Neo was awoke from her sleep, hearing his rambling. She looked at her scroll, seeing it was about the time he normally woke from a nightmare. Even though it had only been three days, she knew his sleeping schedule. Though it was mainly due to him waking her up. She got up from her bed and walked around the dividing wall to Crimson's bed, only to freeze in her place.

Crimson was shirtless in his bed. That fact wasn't what froze her. It was how many scars he possessed. The number had to been high as every space of his exposed skin, was covered in scars. The only place that wasn't marked, was his neck and face, save the permanent smirk scar. Neo's eyes widened, looking at him. Questions filling her head as she stared.

"It was Maria I killed, not the doll. The doll is still in the dream. She will be there when I return. Either praying at the stone, or tending the little ones. There is no way I killed her. It was Maria I killed, not the doll," he said. He grabbed his head, thrashing violently, as he repeated the new line.

Neo knew she needed to wake him up, but hesitated. She had seen him laying his knife down nearby, and his satchel was always within arms reach. Glancing around, she quickly moved the satchel away from the side of his bed, while also grabbing his knife. She tossed them over the divider wall onto her bed. She then reached over and shook him. When he didn't wake up, she increased the force.

Crimson's eyes snapped open, the crimson loops ever present. Within a blink of an eye, Neo found herself on Crimson's bed with him kneeling over her. His right hand covering her mouth with the other poised to strike. She had reacted too, wrapping one leg around his arm that covered her mouth. Her other leg stretched out, and locked, to hold his ready hand back. They stayed in their entanglement, staring each other down. Neo could feel how his body tensed up, either from struggling against the locked leg, or holding himself back.

The seconds ticked by, turning into a minute. Then two minutes passed. Slowly the crimson loops began to fade from his eyes as he came back to reality. Crimson looked down into the mismatched eyes of his partner. They were pink and brown at the moment and he expected to find panic, but they showed worry. He noticed she wasn't looking up at him, but, after following her line of sight, she was looking to his right arm. She was looking at the tally marked scars that covered it. Crimson looked back at her.

"Neo," he said softly.

Her eyes didn't move.

"Neo," he repeated louder, but not breaking a whisper.

She finally met his eyes.

"Can you release me, so I can do the same to you?"

The two untangled themselves. Crimson stood from his bed then walked over to his desk, where his top hat and jacket where. He put the jacket on.

"I'm going to the roof," he told Neo softly, who only watched him move. He didn't look at her to see if she heard him. He grabbed his hat and left the room.

Neo stood from his bed, then walked around the divider wall to her bed. She looked at the satchel and dagger she had tossed onto it. The knife brought the scars on Crimson's arm back to her mind. She knew the scars that covered his body were from fights, but the ones on his right arm were not. She could see that. They were to _neat_ to be from a Grimm or another fight. Those were deliberate, and it worried her. She could see how the marks had started off with a jagged cutting edge, then slowly changing to clean lines. She also noticed the placement. They were counting something, and she wanted to know more. Not just out of curiosity, but to better understand her partner.

* * *

Crimson sat on the roof, staring up at the shattered moon like he always did after waking form a nightmare.

"It may seem like a mere bad dream, hmm. Yeah right old man," Crimson said aloud.

He heard the door to the roof open behind him. He didn't need to turn to see it was his partner. He had hoped she would follow him. A moment later, Neo sat down next to him. She had changed out of her compression shorts and top, into a pair of sweats. A moment passed before Crimson spoke.

"I'm sorry for attacking you. I need to get my body in check before I end up killing some one," he said, looking to the hat he set before him. "You probablly have questions for me to answer right? I owe you that much right?"

Neo held up her scroll as Crimson turned towards her.

" **If it's not to much to ask. Why do you hurt yourself,** " the message read. He knew the question was coming. Yet he didn't expect it to be the first.

"In my world, death goes hand in hand for a Hunter. I have felt the cold hands of death to many time to count. Each time I expect to never wake again, just to wake up next to one of the Dream's lanterns scattered around the city. Each time, I am never to sure if I died or if it was just a dream. It started off as a check to see if I was still alive or not. Then it became an anchor, reminding me of what it means to be mortal," Crimson explained.

" **Dream?** "

"Yes, I travel between the Dream and the Waking World. I guess it is best described as the place between Reality and Death. As a Hunter, we leave from the Dream to go out into the Yharnam, the Waking World, to hunt for the beasts of the scorge. When we die, we either awake back in the dream, or by a lantern that connects Yharnam and the dream," he said as a shadow passed over his face. "Yharnam is harsher by far. Demanding our bodies to adapt to the extreme harsh hunt. Beasts lurk around every corner and if you are not prepared, you will die a lot."

" **Is that why your body attacks when you are bumped into? It's just reacting after being forced to react for so long?** "

"Yes. It has saved me countless of times when my body finally began reacting on its own. However, I have to constanly keep an eye on my surroundings and keep reminding myself this is a safe haven. It was lonely on the hunt for me, being the only one in the dream. I'm not quite use to reacting around other _sane_ humans."

" **How long where you a hunter for in your world?** "

Crimson was silent for a moment, looking at his top hat with sad eyes.

"Time is measured differently for a Hunter of the Dream. To most who experienced the hunt by hiding in their homes, it was only one night. For a hunter, it feels like months, even years before it ends. It doesn't help when you have to live with your mistakes and actions," Crimson said, running a hand over the ribbon around his top hat.

" **What did you mean by sane humans?** " Neo asked after a long moment.

"I'm going to have to put that question on hold for now. We don't have the time for me to explain it fully," Crimson answered, not looking up.

" **Maybe later then? Who is Maria, and the Doll?** " Neo asked, knowing about how painful some truths could be. She reached a hand to her throat, rubbing it slightly.

Crimson sighed, ' _Guess I talk in my sleep. How else would she know those names._ '

"Lady Maria was one of the first Hunters of the Workshop, which predates the Dream. She was an apprentice to Gerhman, the First Hunter. She had left her home of Cainhurst Castle to become a Hunter. She was distantly related to the undead queen. The Plain Doll, or Doll for short, was created when Gerhman started the Dream. She was made to keep him company why he resided over the dream, and was a direct copy of what Lady Maria looked like. She helps explain and keep other hunters company," Crimson explained. He looked over to see the confusion and discuss on Neo's face.

It caused him to chuckle, "Yes, I know what it sounds like and it was true. I didn't do anything with her but talk though. She became a close friend and we held a great respect for each other."

Releaf washed over her face causing him to laugh, though it was hollow and sad.

"Yes, I viewed her as the sister I never had. That was why when I killed Lady Maria, I was so distaught. Lady Maria was trapped in another nightmare. She was guarding a secret. However, when I found her, she had tried to take her own life and failing. She asked me to end it for her," Crimson said, looking up to the moon. "Her's was the hardest life I had to take. Every time I looked at her during our fight, I saw the Doll. When it finally ended, I hurried to the Dream, and just stayed there to recollect myself."

" **Hardest Life?** "

"We should be heading back. If Orion or Ebony wake up and we aren't in the room, they might think we're up to something," Crimson said quickly. He stood up and offered a hand to Neo. She hesitantly took it, but understood that the last question had a lot of pain behind it. Now was not the time to talk about it.

She reached down and picked his hat up, dusting the top off before handing it to him. He smiled and took it. After putting it back on his head, they both went back to the room to prepare for the day. They were not going back to sleep.

* * *

 _A/N: How was that chapter? Got a little interaction between Crimson and Neo. Got to see how killing Lady Maria affected him. And a little information on the world of Bloodborne, though only enough to explain some key things, hopefully._

 _How was it though? Did it seem forced or was it ok?_

 _As always, please review. If you have any questions, leave it in a review, comment, or PM me._


	10. Huntress vs Hunter

"Excuse me Professor, but you said that you would unlock my Aura after the day ended," Crimson said, approaching Glynda Goodwitch.

Truth be told, he didn't know about how his body would react to having it unlocked. From what he learned from Ebony, it acted as a second skin to protect one from too much damage and heal most wounds. He saw that it was similar to blood vials but on a more arcane version.

"Yes, you will need it to participate in this class. As you no doubt saw, we use aura to gauge a fighters ability to fight in a match," she informed.

"Why not have them fight until someone gives up or is knocked out?" Crimson asked.

"That is an old style of training. Plus, how can you learn a lesson if you are sleeping through it? Isn't that right Miss Politan?" Glynda asked looking at Neo. Because of their talk that morning, Neo missed out on a couple hours of sleep and had nodded off a couple times during class. Though, to her credit, Neo flashed a confident smile at the Professor.

 _'Its a lot safer than how I was trained, I'll give them that,'_ Crimson thought.

"Back to the matter at hand. Now, Mr. Moon, I am going to have you hold still. This should only take a moment," Glynda said, placing a hand on Crimson's shoulder.

She began to mouth a verse, her eyes changing to pools of light purple energy while her body gave of the same color glow. Crimson soon began to give off a similar glow, though his was a dark red. Yet, something went wrong. Both Glynda's and Crimson's auras flared and a cry of pain filled the room. All that were present turned to see what was happening.

Glynda lashed out subconsciously, trying to get away from the onslaught of pain and death from Crimson. Her riding crop passed through the air trying to send the man flying with her semblance, only to be stopped dead in its path by his hand. The resulting shock wave sent the closest student flying back while the floor shattered around them. Crimson pushed Glynda away, causing her to stumble backwards.

Crimson's instincts took over. Within a span of a second, he drew his Rakuyo and transformed it into its dual sword mode. His eyes had changed into the crimson loops, glazing over as he studied the movements of the Professor. Glynda had struggled to recover from the onslaught of emotions locked away in Crimson's soul. She still struggled to stand, but forced the thoughts to the side. She recognized the change in the atmosphere. She rubbed her eye's then studied him.

Neo looked to Ebony, who was still watching the stand off. She held up her scroll to Ebony, who understood the message written on it.

"Everyone, get behind the barriers," Ebony ordered.

Everyone in the room could feel the change. Crimson and Glynda radiated power as they stared each other down. The student's could feel the inevitable fight coming and hurried to the stands behind the barriers. Most of them pulled out their scrolls and began recording the fight. Ebony turned and bolted for the door, heading to the Headmasters office.

Dispite the commotion of the room around them, Crimson and Glynda continued their study of each other. Crimson's mind was scattered, not paying attention to his surroundings. He was trying to reign the memories of the Hunt under control. Images of beast, nightmares, and people flashed before his eyes. The screams of victims, roars of beasts, and moans of the crazed hunters filled his ears. He tried desperately to force them all to the back of his mind.

"Mr. Moon, I would appreciate it if you lowered your weapons," Glynda said, keeping her voice even.

Crimson didn't reply, his crimson looped eyes unseeing. Glynda took a cautious step forward, only to regret it. Crimson launched forward. Glynda dodged to back, avoiding a swipe from the longer weapon. She went to swipe with her riding crop, only her hand to be blocked by Crimson's hand. Her eyes widened, having not seen him change his weapon back to its combined form. She was shocked at how close he came. She used her free hand to try and force him back with her semblance. Crimson side stepped, grabbing the riding crop from her hand. She back springed away, avoiding another swipe from the twinblade.

She swiped her hand, calling her riding crop back to her hand. However, Crimson was not releasing it from his grasp. Glynda growled under her breath as she then raised her hand up. The dibris from the shattered floor arose from the ground. Spinning her hand, she commanded the debris to morph into a large spear. She then sent it flying towards Crimson, who slashed with his sword, cutting the spear in half. The two halves sprang to life as they maneuvered in mid air, resembling concrete vines. A sickening smile spread across Crimson's face as he disappeared in a mist of crimson, dodging through the attack. The two vines turned into several strands, but with the addition of another vine, Glynda had to concentrate more. Sweat coated her brow as she was forced to use her semblance more and more. She needed to end this fast as she felt her Aura depleting.

Crimson appeared in front of her, causing her to step back. He unleashed a barrage of swipes, all aimed to cause serious injury. Glynda struggled to dodge every attack. As she moved around the arena, she found him appearing next to her in the flash of crimson mist. She kicked him hard, sending him skidding back several paces.

Glynda reached into a hidden pocket and pulled out a handful of dust. She blew into her hand, sending it scattering across the room. She moved her hands around, sending her Aura into the dust, causing it to glow several colors. Crimson pulled a blue and silver round shield from his satchel, shocking the crowed who could see through the dust. He still held the riding crop in his shield hand. The dust reacted violently against the arcane resistant metal of the shield, causing an explosion. The surrounding barriers glowed to life to stop the explosion.

Crimson lowered the shield to see a large purple alchemic circle in front of the Huntress. The explosion snapped Crimson's mind back to the situation at hand. He saw an angry woman staring at him without a weapon. He could tell she was not fully focused on the fight. Her posture showed she struggled to stay standing. He currently was holding the Rakuyo and Loch Shield, along with a riding crop in his shield hand.

' _When did I get a riding crop?_ ' he asked himself. He then noticed his surroundings. It was only him and the Professor. He began to piece what had happened together. His mind being bombarded with his memories left him vulnerable. Glynda must have reacted to the sudden pain she most likely felt, most likely attacking him. This caused his body to defend itself. With his mind distracted he couldn't stop the fight. With the explosive, it snapped him back to reality.

He tried to regain control with little success. He was able to drop the riding crop and kick it away. Something nagged at the back of his mind though.

' _Kill her. Kill her,_ ' a voice whispered in his mind. ' _Bathe in her blood. She deserves it._ '

' _No, she doesn't. She is not a threat,_ ' Crimson countered the voice.

Crimson's body locked into a defensive stance after dropping and kicking the riding crop away. Glynda could see the confliction in his eyes. If she had to guess, he was fighting for control.

"Mr. Moon, stop this fight. There is no need for it to continue," Glynda tried to persuade.

Crimson was silent. His sword hand shook, only enough for a fully trained hunter to see.

' _KILL HER! SHE ATTACKED YOU!_ ' the voice yelled.

"NO!" Crimson yelled. His weapons fell to the ground as he clutched his head. "Get out of my head."

He then dropped to his knees, locking it in place. Glynda relaxed slightly, only to begin seeing spots. She wobbled and began to fall forward. A set of hands caught her before she fell. She looked to find Ozpin staring at her with concerned eyes.

"You really need to work on using your semblance without your riding crop," he said with a smile before turning to Neo. "Miss Politan, take him back to your dorm and make sure he gets some deserved rest." He then turned to the rest of the students present. "You will have to wait until next time to see how this match will ends."

A collective groan filled the silent air as everyone began to leave the Amphitheater. Neo tapped Crimson on his shoulder lightly. When he looked up, she saw his eyes had yet to return to normal, but were full of pain and fear. She pulled her scroll out and typed a quick message.

" **Time to head back to the room. You need you rest and time for your aura to replenish,** " it read.

Crimson nodded before climbing to his feet. With Neo's help to stabilize him, he retrieved his weapons then began heading for the door.

Glynda finally collapsed fully into Ozpin's arms. Her head felt like it was about to explode as extremely strong emotions of pain, torment, and death rushed back to the front of her thoughts. Her breathing became ragged, her chest tight as she gasp for air. She faught the urge to curl up and cry. She had known some of those feelings personally, but not to the extent her new student had experienced them. She had seen what it was like to die through his eyes. Felt the pain from the countless life ending wounds he received. What bothered her most was the cold hands that she felt grabbing at her arms and legs, calling her to accept it fully. She knew he had died not only once, but tens, if not a hundred times.

Opening her eyes, Goodwitch noticed her glasses had small pools of liquids on the lenses. She hadn't realized that the tears had fallen, still fell, and silently cursed herself for letting them slip. She felt strong arms pull her into an embrace, reminding her she wasn't alone. She looked up at him, the tears still falling.

"Glynda, I am going to take you back home. Tomorrow, do not come into work and rest. When you are able, come to my office, and tell me what you experienced," he ordered. She only nodded, seeing the room fade around her.

"Rest."

* * *

As soon as Crimson and Neo made it back to the room, he crashed onto his bed. Within seconds he had drifted off onto a dreamless sleep. For the first time since he had arrived, he didn't wake up until the next morning.

The day had gone by smoothly, or as smooth as it could. Crimson's fight with Professor Goodwitch was the talk of the school. Not only had he challenged a teacher, but seemed to out class her. Most had come up with different theories on how the fight would have played out. Some say Crimson would have destroyed the teacher, while others say it was too soon in the match for there to be a clear victor. Crimson had tried to go to her office to apologize, only to find that she had taken the day off. Ozpin himself was covering for her. Crimson had decided to wait until the next day to apologize and hopefully explain himself.

One thing had become clear to him though. A part of him wanted to kill, almost demanding it. He didn't know how to process it and was unsure how to talk to anyone about it. He was sure that if this need went unchecked, it would not turn out well for the next person he would fight. On top of that, his eyes had changed to having full loops of crimson instead of thier normal wisps, causing many to avoid eye contact. Neo suggested wearing tinted glasses like one of the second years. He wasn't to sure about it but told her he would give it some thought.

Crimson found himself infront of the elevator that lead to Ozpin's office. He wasn't quite sure how to approach what had happened the previous day, but wanted to get some advice. Though he hoped the Headmaster wouldn't judge him to harshly, he was still concerned for his peers safety. This wasn't Yharnam with second chances at life.

The elevator dinged, signalling the elevator had reached its destination. The doors opened to reveal Professor Goodwitch sitting on a couch that Crimson knew wasn't there last time. Ozpin was sitting behind his deske, mug ever present in his hand.

"Ah, Crimson, we were just talking about you," Ozpin said.

"No doubt about yesterdays events?" Crimson asked, noticing Glynda avoided eye contact with him.

"Yes. On a related note, I noticed your eyes are different today then when we first met."

Crimson looked away, rubbing his eyes. It was true that his eyes had the crimson loops instead of their normal wisps, yet, that was not the only thing that had changed about them. He returned his eyes to Ozpin's.

"That is true. Since I awoke this morning, they have been different. It also effects my sight," he said.

"A semblance already? That's good to hear. What's different?" Glynda asked, still avoiding his gaze.

"Semblance? What's a Semblance?" Crimson asked, raising a brow.

"A Semblance is the manifestation of one's innate and personal power as an ability unique to each individual. The effects varying greatly from user to user. Professor Goodwitch has telekinesis, as you probably observed yesterday. Most Huntsmen and Huntresses have one, though some are passive while others are active. An example of an active semblance is, Dr. Oobleck. He can vibrate his molecules at a high rate of speed, causing him to move and speak faster than majority of the personnel on campus," Ozpin explained.

"I see. I guess my semblance could be passive then? I can see the travel of blood through a person's body. It distorts their appearance to a degree," Crimson said, rubbing his chin as he though about it.

"It could be, but it has only been one day. You may find more to your semblance than that. Now, you came here for a reason. How can I help you?" Ozpin said, taking a drink from his mug.

"I was hoping to explain my side of what happened yesterday," Crimson informed.

"Of course. There is always two sides to every story," Ozpin said.

"Right, as Professor Goodwitch was unlocking my aura yesterday, something strange happened. My head began to burn along with all my scars. I saw images of my past flash before me. Now, as you know it isn't the first time I have had my mind _disturbed_ unwillingly. I got absorbed in the memories, trying to regain control of my mind. I didn't know what was happening outside of my body until after the explosion. When the smoke cleared, I assessed the situation and tried to gain control over my body again. I was finally able to lock my body down and effectively regain my lost control," Crimson explained.

"And the out burst at the end?" Ozpin asked, giving him a pointed look. Crimson glanced back at Glynda, who looked away quickly.

"How much does she know?" he asked.

"Enough to know that if you were fully concentrated on the fight, I would be down one staff member," Ozpin informed. The room dropped several degrees as the tension rose.

"Please explain your outburst," Glynda asked, hiding the new found fear that crossed her face. Crimson hesitated before he began.

"As I was fighting for control, a part of me wanted to... _punish_ her for attacking," Crimson said after a long minute of silence, his eyes never leaving Glynda's face. "It kept edging me on to do it, but I kept refusing. Finally I just yelled, locking my body down before it would do the unthinkable. My hands are dirty enough that they will never be clean. No reason to dirty them more right?"

The room fell into a deep silence. Not a single person moved or even breathed. The all knew what he had meant but couldn't say. Had he not regained control at the end, Ozpin would, in fact, be missing a staff member. It was Ozpin who finally broke the silence.

"I see. Well then, I guess it would be best to send you and your partner out into the forest to fight some Grimm."

"Have me go on a hunt you say?" Crimson asked, looking back to Ozpin.

"I agree, though I would suggest sending the rest of the team also," Glynda chimed in.

"I do not think that would be best. Headmaster, you know that where I'm from, we have a _bloodier_ fighting style. I would like to not traumatize my team with how I fight. I am honestly surprised Professor Goodwitch didn't receive fatal wounds from out fight," Crimson said.

"You did come close several times," she chimed in again.

"I know, but you need to get use to fighting in a group and with a partner. Plus you will need someone who knows the area to show you around the Emerald Forest. I also believe it would be best for you to do it during your combat classes on Tuesday and Thursday," Ozpin informed.

"I can navigate a forest well. Even one I have never been in. I don't believe a guide will be necessary."

"It is more of a safety precaution. For now you will go out with your partner during your combat classes. Stay withing the Emerald forest and keep your scrolls charged and on. You will report to class a half hour before class starts. Then report back here no earlier than 3 o'clock, and no later than 4 o'clock," Ozpin ordered.

Crimson's lips formed a hard line as he thought about the new change in schedule. He didn't mind it, but he feared for hi partner. How would she react to the more blood filled fighting style of his? Would she be safe if he were to lose it? So many if's.

"I know your concern, but Neo has a semblance that can actually help you. Besides, you should tell at least your partner about your past. Who knows, maybe you can let yourself breathe easier in their presence," Ozpin said with a smirk.

' _Wait, how did he know about that conversation?_ ' Crimson thought to himself.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" Ozpin asked.

"No there is not," Crimson replied.

"Good, if you could please send Miss Politan to my office. I will explain the change in schedule," Ozpin said. Crimson nodded then walked over to where Glynda sat. He stopped a safe distance away, noticing her tense up slightly. He then bowed forward.

"I am terribly sorry for my actions yesterday. I hope this does not cause negative affects on you in the future," Crimson apologized.

"Apology accepted. However, it was my fault to begin with. I was the one that lashed out, triggering your instincts," Glynda replied. Her eyes studied his movement.

He straightened up and flashed a small smile. "I would appreciate it if you didn't try to take the blame. It was my fault for not warning you about it. I hope you make a full recovery from yesterday."

* * *

 _A/N: Well, how was that fight? I hope I represented Professor Glynda Goodwitch well in that fight. To explain a bit, her Riding Crop helps her channel her Semblance. Since all of her fight scenes in RWBY are of her with said crop, I assumed she rarely fights without it. Meaning she has little experience with fighting bare handed. Not saying she doesn't know how, but that it is hard and is really taxing on her Aura._

 _Crimson's Semblance is still to be explored in the story. When it gets fully revealed, I will explain it fully then, but until then it's a mystery._

 _As always, please review. If you have questions you can leave it in a comment, review, or PM me._


	11. Red and White

"I know it's around here somewhere," Crimson said to himself as he walked through Vale. It was the end of the weekend and he was looking for one of the weapons shops in town. He needed a new gun as his couldn't fire the cartridge Dust bullets that the world used.

He had found himself alone again, with Neo and Ebony busy with other things and Orion still avoiding him. He tried to brush it off and not get affected, but he wished he knew why.

' _Probably because you refuse to share your pass with any of them,_ ' a voice n his head said.

' _It's not that simple. We both know Yharnam is not for the faint of heart. Remember how Neo reacted when I showed her a glimpse of how I Hunt?_ ' Crimson argued remembering that first hunt with her.

* * *

 _Crimson was crouched low, his eyes trained on the Deathstalker as it walked around, looking for anything to fight. The Grimm sensed prey in its territory, and was hungry._

 _Crimson was about to leap into action when he heard a twig snap behind him. Holding his breath, hoping the Grimm he was hunting didn't hear it, he turned his head slowly to see what was behind him._

 _"Well then," he mumbled to himself. Standing behind him was an Ursa, with its glowing red eyes trained on him._

 _A brief moment passed between the two as they locked eyes, Crimson's sunglasses sliding down his face. Then the Ursa leaped at him. Crimson positioned himself to throw the Grimm over his head with his legs. As the Grimm barreled towards him, he dropped to his back. With both feet, he was able to use the Grimm's momentum against itself. He planted them on the Ursa's underside then rolled back, throwing it into the clearing behind him. A moment later the Deathstalker's screech filled the air, followed by the Ursa's roar. Crimson looked and saw the two facing off. The Ursa didn't stand a chance. With a quick swing from one of the Deathstalker's pincers, the Ursa found itself on its back. Then mere seconds later, the stinger came down on its head, killing it instantly._

 _Crimson decided now was the perfect time to attack. He raced out from the bushes he was behind. The Grimm swung one of its massive pincers, but Crimson slid underneath it. He cursed himself for sliding too soon, as he came to a stop, the stinger came down upon him. He quickly rolled to dodge, and jumped to his feet, slashing with Rakuyo. The twinblade sliced clean through the tail, cutting the stinger off. The Grimm reared back in pain, then tried slamming its pincers onto Crimson. He simply jumped back, then quickly activated his Old Hunter Bone. He dashed forward, a trail of blood red mist standing where he once was, and found himself right next to the base of the Grimm's left pincer. He slashed downwards, severing the limb, then dashed to the other one. Again, a cloud of blood red mist was left standing in his previous spot. After cutting off the second pincer, Crimson smiled._

 _"A hunter must do what a hunter does best. Hunt," he chuckled to no one in particular. Then he sprinted forward, making sure his timing was perfect. He slide under the Grimm, sliding to a stop underneath. He plunged his hand into the soft underside, reaching shoulder deep into the Grimm. Gripping the giant dorsal blood vain of the Deathstalker, he violently ripped his hand out of the Grimm. Black Grimm blood showered Crimson, leaving him covered in the black substance. The Deathstalker collapsed, falling right on top of Crimson. After he emerged from under the body, he rolled to his feet._

 _"Stupid, stupid, stupid," He berated himself. "Of course it would fall on top of you. Such an amateur mistake." He was enjoying himself far more than he should have been. He needed the adrenaline rush he got from the hunt. Yet it clouded his judgement._

 _Crimson wiped the Grimm's blood from his sword with his hand, cutting himself carelessly. He pulled his hand from the blade to examine the cut, still covered in the Grimms' blood and now his own. He stared as the Grimm's blood slowly drew into the cut, followed by his own. It then healing itself, leaving a faint scar on his palm. He watched how the two blood types mix, with little effects._

 _"Interesting," he whispered._

 _He then pulled a canteen out from his satchel and took a drink. He turned around, seeing Neo drop from the branches of a nearby tree. Curiosity with a hint of horror covered her face. She walked towards him. With a heavy sigh, Crimson offered his canteen._

 _"See what I meant by bloody? Yet because of this, Hunters of my world can get a bit, bloodthirsty," Crimson said, spinning his Rakuyo._

 _Neo nodded her head. She produced her scroll, " **So, that's why you were hesitant on me, or the rest of the team, coming with you out here?** "_

 _"Yes, when I get into a full hunt, I am not the same. I have less control over my body as my instincts take over. Even though I can still make sound decisions, as the hunt gets more heated, the farther I lose control. Also, the longer I go without it, the more violent I can become. Sometimes I become nothing more than the people I killed became."_

 _Neo's eyes widen at his words, dropping the canteen. She quickly typed away on her scroll._

 _" **People you've killed? What do you mean by that?** "_

 _"People? Did I say that? Sorry, I meant beasts," Crimson said, turning away from her with a down cast gaze._

 _'Soon, I will be able to talk about it, but not yet,' he thought._

 _If he had been paying closer attention, he would have seen the flash of recognition flash through his partners eyes. As she held a hand to her throat with a down cast gaze._

 _He wiped some blood away from his face with his free hand. Looking closer, he realized that the blood began to seep into his pours like it had back in Yharnam. Slowly it was disappearing from view. He felt his strength grow ever so slightly. It wasn't enough for any noticeable changes, but from his time in Yharnam, he learned to welcome even the smallest of improvements._

 _He shook his head before a memory could be dragged from the back of his mind. Pulling out his scroll, Crimson realized it was getting close for them to return back to the school. He hadn't realized he spent all day tracking that Deathstalker. Sure he had ran into a few Beowolves and the occasional Ursa, but he had dealt with them quickly. He needed to show Neo a glimpse at what he could do, and the Deathstalker was the best he could come up with. Sure he could have viciously torn an Ursa apart, or a Beowolf for that matter, but he felt it wouldn't have done him justice._

 _"We should start heading back. I don't think we want Glynda to yell at us for being late," Crimson said. He looked and saw Neo had a small smile on her face._

* * *

' _You don't know that she rejected you. She just wanted clarification on what you meant,_ ' the voice countered.

' _I know, but I still have a hard time accepting it myself. How can I explain it to others if I can't even accept it?_ ' Crimson asked.

' _Isn't that why you are talking to yourself? To try and answer your own unanswered questions?_ ' Crimson face palmed with the realization.

"Hey Crimson," a voice called behind Crimson, pulling him from his thoughts. He turned to see Ruby, Weiss and Yang walking down the street. Blake was missing from the group.

"Hello Ruby, how are you doing today?" He asked, re-positioning his sunglasses that he bought them a couple days ago.

"Well, we are looking for Blake. She's been missing since Friday night," Ruby said.

"Really, what happened?" He asked.

"Well-" Ruby began but was cut off by Weiss.

"She lied to us about who she was."

"Ah, I see. She finally told you about being a Faunus?" Crimson half asked, half stated. The three girls just stared at him with confused looks. "What?"

"How did you know?" Weiss asked, still glaring at him.

"The panther ears, and I could smell the animal blood in her," Crimson said.

"What do you mean by smell?" Yang asked.

"Everyone has a somewhat unique smell to them. Yang, you smell like lilacs and gunpowder. Ruby, smells like strawberry's and roses, strangely enough. Weiss smells heartless."

Weiss' glare increased in force causing Crimson to return it. He simply lifted his glasses and mirrored her glare. He could see her blood run cold as he stared, but soon returned his glasses when she backed down.

"Calm down, I was only joking. Weiss, you smell like snow and mint. Blake, well she smells like a library and the forest, along with animal. It isn't that strong of a scent, but enough to be noticed by those with acute sense of smell. In fact, all Faunus have that third scent to them."

"Wait a minute, before you also said panther ears. What panther ears?" Ruby asked.

Crimson just stared at her with a pointed look that could be seen through his glasses, "Really? Are you three really that blind, or is it ignorance?"

"HEY!" Weiss exclaimed.

"What are you talking about. She wears a... booohhhh..." Yang trailed off.

"I bet that explains why she never takes it off right?" Crimson asked.

"And her love of tuna," Ruby mumbled to herself. Crimson rolled his eyes.

"So, if that isn't what she lied about what is?" Crimson asked.

"She was apart of the White Fang. I still think we should go to the police with this," Weiss said turning away.

"Weiss, why are you still going on with that idea? We should hear her side of the story," Yang said, crossing her arms.

Crimson remembered hearing that name from Blake. "You mean the misguided Faunus Group?"

"Why does everyone say they are misguided?" Weiss huffed.

"Weiss, stop and take a step back. From what I heard about them, they are very misguided," Crimson said.

"Oh, how so?" Weiss said over her shoulder. Crimson turned to Yang and Ruby, shooing them off to continue their search. They were gone a moment later.

"Well, the White Fang started out as a peaceful protest group correct?" Crimson asked.

"Still doesn't excuse them for what they have done," she mumbled.

"Weiss, answer the question and don't comment," Crimson ordered, removing his glasses. She spun around to argue but froze when she locked eyes with him. Her anger quickly faded into fear.

"Yes they did," she said looking away from him.

"Did they not go through a change in leadership?"

"Yes they did."

"Once it happened, is it likely that the ideas change too? Whether it was by force or not?" Crimson asked, replacing his glasses.

"It could be possible," Weiss said. Crimson could see the gears turning in her head.

"So, if the idea's were changed by force, would it be so hard to think that some would leave the group?"

"True," Weiss agreed.

"So, Blake could have been in the White Fang before it changed. When it did, she probably left. She probably didn't agree with the new ideas of the new leaders. Can you see her side a bit?" Crimson asked.

"But the change happened ten years ago. She sounded like she was with them until recently."

"Well how old is she right now? Seventeen? Eighteen? If it happened ten years ago, she may have been too young to leave. Think about it Weiss. She probably stayed because she had no where else to go until recently. Don't judge her to harshly until you hear her side of the story." Crimson explained.

"Then why did she run? When she told us, she ran from us. That is not how an innocent reacts to a situation like that," Weiss argued.

"Did she tell you of her own free will or did it come out in a burst of anger?" Crimson pointed out. Weiss was silent. "See, she wasn't ready to tell you about her past. Let her tell her side of the story. In the end you, Ruby, and Yang are the ones that decides her fate. Give her a reason to trust you enough with her past."

"You sound like you know from experience," Weiss said.

Crimson rubbed the back of his neck nerviously. "More or less. Have you calmed down a bit?"

"I guess. How am I suppose to change?" Weiss said, seeming to forget Crimson was there.

Crimson ignored the question, knowing better than to comment.

' _You do realize trust is a two way street. If you want trust you have to give it first. Maybe you should take Ozpin's advice about telling at least Neo your past,_ ' the voice said in Crimson's mind. He knew he needed to.

"Hey, where did everyone go?" Weiss asked looking around.

"They continued their search for Blake," Crimson said. Then he remembered something. "Oh, that's right. I wanted to apologize for ruining you clothes. I can compensate you for the bill if you want?"

Weiss spun around and stared him down. "Please, you would be paying that debt off for years. I accept your apology, but I still have mixed views on you," she said, narrowing her eyes.

Crimson smirked. "Like I told Blake when she tried that same look with me. You are going to have to be a lot more intimidating than that if you want to threaten me. The things I have experienced dwarfs anything anyone on this planet has gone through. Trust me on that." He tapped his glasses seeing her pale slightly. "Don't worry. It isn't the end of the world for me if a Schnee has a good or bad opinion of me. So, shall we start looking for Blake?"

Weiss huffed and stormed off. Crimson chuckled and followed after her.

* * *

"See, I told you that we would find them near the explosion. Knowing Ruby, she caused it," Weiss said as she and Crimson walked down the street towards the docks.

Several police cars were scattered around as men were looking at the scene. Ruby, Yang, Blake, and two other people Crimson didn't know about were sitting on a set of crates. One was a bleach blonde haired guy with a white unbuttoned shirt. He also wore a pair of faded jeans that had the legs rolled up to his knees. A set of red gauntlets adorned his hands and forearms.

The other was a girl with short, orange, curly hair and a pink bow. She wore an old-fashioned blouse with a short feminine overalls. She also wore a black and green collar with a matching pair of stockings.

"Would she really cause an explosion?" Crimson asked. He looked up to see Ruby walking towards them.

"Look Weiss, it's not what you think. She explained everything to us-"

Ruby was interrupted as Weiss put her hand over her mouth.

Crimson stood back from the group. He crossed his arms as he watch, Yang walking up beside him.

"Did you manage to calm Ice Queen down?" She asked in a whisper. Crimson nodded with a shrug.

"Weiss, I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with the-" Blake began as she walked up to the white themed girl.

"Do you have any idea how long we've been searching for you? Twelve hours. We even had to pull Crimson from his day to help find you. That also means I have had twelve hours to think about this. And with the help from Crimson, I've decided," she paused. Yang and Ruby looked over to Crimson with a worried expression on their face. While the orange haired girl walked off towards a black windowed car.

"I don't care anymore," Weiss said, breaking the silence.

Blake's eyes widened. "You don't?"

"You said you're not one of them anymore correct?"

"No, I haven't for a-"

"Stop," Weiss said putting a hand up. "I said I don't care. All I want is that next time something this big happens," she gestured between them, "you trust us more than running away."

Blake looked around at her team, before wiping a tear from her eye, "Okay."

' _My work here is done,_ ' Crimson said to himself as he turned and started walking away. He heard Ruby cheer about something but ignored it. He didn't need to stick around to know bonds had been mended. Now if only he could trust his team to not want to lynch him for his crimes. With a heavy sigh, he still hadn't decided to actually tell Neo fully about his past.

* * *

 _A/N: Wow, that chapter took for ever to write. Plus a four day time skip? It is so weird that this story has only taken place over a week and a half so far._

 _Also, Weiss was on edge and just let Blake's past slip because she wasn't in complete control of herself. As everyone knows, normal Weiss wouldn't have told Crimson the truth. And I know Penny was suppose to tell them about the cat ears but Crimson already knew. Hopefully that scene flowed smoothly._

 _Any way, how was it? Are there glaring mistakes I need to fix in the writing? Are there holes that need to be filled? Is there a grave I need to start digging? Please let me know. And as always, leave a review of the story so far. If you have any questions, leave it in a review, comment, or PM me._


	12. Shadows of Remnant

_Walking into the chamber caused the Hunter to stop in his tracks. The room was elongated, directing any who entered towards the back. The floor, a mass of broken tile, had a single ornate rug that ran down the center to the same destination. On each side of the carpet, filling the empty space was hundreds of stone carved statues. Most were that of nobility, with a select few that were for decoration. Some statues were toppled, broken across the floor. The statues gave off a strange aura of petrified life. All watching newcomers enter, and what awaited them at the end of the chamber. Candles littered the floor, providing little to no light along with a single chandelier. Which provided as much light as the candles on the floor._

 _The Hunter slowly walked towards the back of the room as a voice filled the air._

 _"Visitor... I claim no subjects, but here lieth Our throne. Kneel afore us… or get thee gone," the voice said._

 _From the tone, the Hunter knew it was a woman and cast his gaze to a set of thrones. The presence he had felt entering the chamber increased as he walked. A single stain glass window covered the wall behind the thrones, letting in the majority of the light for the room. Only one throne was occupied._

 _The Hunter could tell the woman was taller than the average human. He guessed, with the how pale her skin was, she was probably Pthumerian, but he couldn't be sure with her head covered. Her hair draped across her left shoulder and her silver dress reflected the moon, giving her a slight ethereal glow. The hunter reached the steps that lead up to the throne and stopped. He felt the presence increase a little, almost demanding him to kneel. He wanted to ask questions, but before he could say anything, a reminder crossed his mind. Hesitating for a brief moment, he then kneeled, knowing to respect royalty._

 _"Visitor, moon-scented hunter, I am Annalise, Queen of Castle Cainhurst. Ruler of the Vilebloods, and sworn enemy of the church. Yet, Our people are murdered, and We are prisoner to this wretched mask. What is it thou'rt in search of?"_

 _"I search for answers, your majesty," the hunter said._

 _"What answers could we offer thou?"_

 _"Why was I, an enemy of you, summoned?"_

 _"We've tired of these piteous nights. We crave revenge on thou who defiled Our body, thou ill-mannered beast," she spat. Before the hunter could react, he felt the sword pierce his chest. He jolted awake from his nightmare._

* * *

Crimson's eyes snapped open as he bolted straight up in his bed. Sweat covered his body, his lungs grasping at any form of air. A long silent moment passed, only his labored breath making any sound. He could still feel the cold metal of the sword in his chest. He needed to leave the room. He quickly climbed out of bed and dressed n his combat attire. After grabbing his satchel, but leaving his scroll, he left the room.

After a month of the constant nightmares, he had made it a force of habit to head to the roof to get some fresh air. Tonight was different. The last week was nothing but a repeat of the woman who hated him the most. Yet, he didn't understand why she kept popping up in his dreams, which made disturbed him. He didn't need to clear his mind, he needed to let loose.

He walked up to a set of doors that lead into a training simulator. The doors opened into a large, circular, white room with a ring of tinted windows at the top. A large screen covered most of the ceiling. It showed the status of students during a simulation along with other information. The room was designed to allow students to test themselves against different kinds of Grimm in lifelike battles without the risk of death. He had used it several times, though more often recently, as it allowed him to let off some steam without putting anyone in danger. Once a simulation was started, the doors to the simulator were locked until the student completed said simulation or they pass out.

Crimson hadn't understood why Ozpin withheld the room from him a month ago. He guessed that if he knew this was a simulation then it wouldn't have helped with the voice. However, he was glad for the isolation from everyone on campus. It helped tremendously, and it allowed him to get to know his teammates, who sometimes alternated, as they joined him. He was still having a hard time with Orion, but Crimson brushed it off most of the time.

He walked up to the panel and looked over the different simulations. He skipped over the ones that were usually attempted by single or partner students, as he needed to let loose. Most of the time he went straight for the ones that full teams would attempt. They provided a slight challenge for the seasoned hunter. After searching for a short time, he decided to not go for a standard simulation. Instead, he opted to create his own, which was not uncommon among students. Though the created simulations only lasted for a couple hours before being erased by the program.

Crimson selected three alpha's, a Beowolf, Ursa, and Beringal. He placed them in the center of the area, setting their difficulty to its max. He then selected four King Taijitu, placing them around the area. He set their difficulty to max too. He then changed the frequency of their attacks to increase as the number of Grimm decreased. A feature Crimson ignored was the estimated team size the simulation had. When a student was done creating a simulation, it would calculate and give a suggested team size for the simulation. Most of the time Crimson would create one that suggested two teams. It would give a warning about attempting it alone. Like always, he ignored the warning and began the simulation.

A loud click filled the empty white room, signaling that the doors had been locked. The screen on the ceiling came to life as a series of symbols flashed across it. The simulator was picking a random location for the scenario to take place. It finally stopped on a mountain location. The white room flashed, as the location was loaded into the room. The large screen above showed Crimson with his aura level, along with the seven Grimm, each with their own life bar. As the simulation was loading, Crimson readied himself. He produced the blades of mercy from his satchel then stored them on his waist, along with the blade for the Burial Blade while he placed the haft on his back. He holstered Evelyn on his hip. He pulled his Rakuyo out just as the countdown timer hit zero, starting the simulation. Crimson spun his twin blade around in his hand as the three alpha's appeared.

"Time to cut loose," he said pointing the Rakuyo at the alphas. His face was void of emotions as he let his instincts take control. The Ursa was the first to attack, charging forward with a roar of dominance.

Crimson sidestepped the charge, slashing at the Grimm's side. Crimson disappeared in a puff of crimson smoke, around the incoming attack from the Beowolf as it lunged. It swiped its giant claws at where he once stood. Slashing at the Beowolf, he caused a thick line to appear on the Grimm's face plates. He disappeared again as the massive paw of the Ursa came crashing down where he was once standing. He slashed several times at the Ursa's back, causing it to roar. He then jumped, missing a large boulder that had been thrown towards him. Yet, as he was in the air, he had to spin, barely avoiding a lung from one of the Taijitu. He pulled the Blades of Mercy from his waist with his free hand. He then stabbed it into the two-headed snake as it passed over him. He was pulled with the snake as the blade cut down the skin.

Crimson quickly removed it from the Grimm's body, kicking off it towards the Ursa. Mid-flight, he sheathed the Blades then transformed his Rakuyo into its dual sword form. The Ursa went to bat him away, but the paw only his crimson smoke as he appeared behind the Grimm for a second time. Again he unleashed a series of attacks on it's back. The Ursa spun around to face him, only to be met with his hand. Crimson shoved his hand into the chest cavity of the Ursa, grabbed its heart, then viciously ripped it out. he was showered in its blood as the Grimm fell forward. He dropped the heart then jumped back, again missing another boulder that was thrown at him. He then dashes towards the Beowolf, only to jump and dodge a third bolder.

He then changed course and headed towards the Beringal. Suddenly, he dropped to the ground, sliding under a lung from two King Taijitu as they crossed over the top of him. As he slid a third dropped in his path, opening its mouth. A grin appeared on Crimson's face as he drew the Burial Blade, throwing Rakuyo high into the air. He then spun around, kicking off the ground and dived into the snake's mouth. As Crimson entered, he spun his body while cutting with his blade. When he felt his momentum slow, he sliced an opening in front of him and jumped out of the snake. He sheathed the Burial Blade, catching the Rakuyo as he landed on the dead Grimm. Jumping forward while ducking under a bolder, he continued his way towards the Beringal. As he approached the Grimm, he vanished in a puff of Crimson smoke, appearing behind it. He then took his hand, forcing it through the thick muscle of the Grimm's back, and grabbed at its heart. With a hard jerk, Crimson pulled the heart out. He disappeared in another puff of smoke as one of the Taijitu lunged at his previous spot.

Throwing his Rakuyo in the air again, he pulled Burial Blade out in its full scythe form. He then unleashed a series of circular slashed, maximizing his weapon's cutting potential, as he descended upon the Grimm. A moment later, Crimson found himself against only a Beowolf alpha and two King Taijitu. He extended a hand, catching the Rakuyo, then sheathed it. Crimson readied for another attack. Lunging forward he was met with one of the Taijitu attacking him. As he swung with his scythe he had to stop halfway through the attack. He dodged over the snake as the other one lunged also. He swapped out his scythe for the Blades of Mercy, transforming them almost instantly. He spun in the air and stabbed the second snake. After the initial change of direction, he then ran up the body towards the head. He then stabbed it in both eyes, killing it. Crimson rolled off the head then disappeared in a puff of smoke, dodging a lung from the last snake. He then jumped on top of the Grimm's head and waited for only a fraction of a second for it to launch him in the air.

As he reached the apex of being launched, he slowly leaned back. He began diving back down towards the Taijitu. The giant snake opened its mouth to roar, only to find Crimson sliding down its throat, cutting it in half from the corners of its mouth down the body. After coming to a stop, he climbed out of the body and stared at the Beowolf alpha. The Grimm roared then sprinted towards Crimson. He slowly swapped his weapon for his Rakuyo and stood still. The Beowolf swung with its sharp claws, only to be stopped by Crimson's hand. He then cut the arm off with the flick of his Rakuyo, then kicked the Beowolf back several feet. He went to advance, only to quickly disappear in a puff of smoke as four snake heads attacked the same spot. Crimson shook his head as he remembered the special feature about King Taijitu. He chuckled as he transformed Rakuyo in its dual form.

The giant snakes all lunged at him, causing Crimson to dodge. He slashed when a head came close, but they moved away just as quickly as they appeared. Crimson dodged, getting the timing of the attacks down and waiting for his chance to strike. The window was slim, a sliver in reality, but he knew he could do it. He dodged, counting down in his head until the moment arrived. When it did, the area explodes in a thick cloud of crimson smoke. As the smoke cleared, four loud thuds echoed through the area. Once the smoke cleared fully, only Crimson was left standing. He sheathed his Rakuyo and pulled out the Blades of Mercy.

Crimson turned to face where he had last seen the Beowolf alpha. He found that it was missing from its spot. Crimson turned just in time to block the swing of sharp claws, dropping one of the blades. He then cut the last arm off along with its head in one clean motion.

A loud buzzer filled the area. The mountainous area flickered then began to fade, along with the bodies of the seven Grimm. Crimson sighed loudly, his mind taking full control again. He looked around for his dropped blade. As he stepped, however, he came crashing down to the ground. Pain flooded his senses. He looked down to find that the force from the Beowolf had not only knocked the blade from his hand but also sent it into his thigh.

"You stupid, careless, single-minded fool! How did you not see that one coming!" He scolded himself. "Guess that proves solidifies the age old question."

He dragged himself over to the wall and looked his new wound over, still berating himself. He was relieved to know that it didn't go through the bone and it just barely missed the artery. He watched as the blood dripping from the blade pooled under him. With a labored breath, he grasped the handle. He was about to pull the blade from his leg, only to stop as a loud click filled the now quiet room. He stared at the door, waiting as it slowly opened.

Neo poked her head in, looking around the room. Her eyes landed on him and a smile crossed her face. Though it was quickly replaced as she sprinted towards him. She pulled her scroll out and began to type but was interrupted by Crimson.

"Hey Neo, what are you doing up at this hour?" Crimson asked, turning his attention back to his leg. He grabbed the sword again, only to have his hands batted away. He looked to Neo.

" **WHAT HAPPEN,** " she signed aggressively. He was glad she taught him how to understand it, but he hated how he couldn't pretend to not understand what she was talking about.

"What do you mean?" Crimson said trying to grab the sword again, only to be smacked away by Neo. "Would you quit doing that? I'm trying to remove this sword from my leg."

" **Don't play stupid. What happened and you better tell me the truth,** " she threatened, here eyes changing to pink as she narrowed them.

Crimson chuckled. He reached for the sword a final time but was stopped as Neo grasped it. Crimson sighed, gripping the sides of his injured leg.

"On three. One. Two-"

She pulled the sword out in one swift motion. Crimson didn't miss the smile she tried to hide as he gasped. He didn't let the thought linger as he raised a hand and summoned the blood around the room to him. The red liquid crawled across the floor towards him, causing Neo to jump back in surprise, her eyes white with shock. Crimson concentrated hard, the blood moving faster across the floor. The blood under him began to rise up toward where the sword was once in his leg. He felt as the liquid forced itself back into the wound, slowly healing it. A moment later, there was no blood to be seen, not even a stain on the white floor. He parted the cut in his pants to see a new scar adorned his thigh.

"Great, now I have to repair my pants," he said, leaning his head against the wall.

He looked over to see Neo still staring at him with her white eyes. Crimson pulled himself to his feet. He took a step, feeling the cramp in his leg where the wound once was and waved his hand in front of Neo's face. A moment later, her eyes turned back into the pink and chocolate mismatched eyes he was accustomed to.

"Hey, you okay? I know that was a lot of blood but there is no reason to freak out about it," Crimson said, trying to distract her from what happened.

" **WHAT WAS THAT!?** " she signed.

"What are you talking abo-"

A loud smack filled the air, only to be drowned out by rapid movement.

Neo had smacked Crimson, but due to his reflexes, the hand didn't follow through. He grabbed the hand to throw Neo, who dropped backward to the ground. The sudden change in body weight caught Crimson off guard momentarily, but he recovered by vaulting over her. Mid-fall, Neo braced her free hand to the ground and swung her legs up, kicking her body to follow Crimson. The two of them landed facing each other, Crimson still having a grip on Neo's hand. A fraction of a second passed then she jumped, wrapping Crimson's arm into an armbar. Crimson didn't register the extra weight as he curled his arm, bringing Neo face to face with him. Pink and brown eyes met bronze with crimson loops. Both of them had a smile on their face, though Crimson's turned mischevious. He disappeared in a puff of smoke then reappeared, catching Neo bridal style as she fell. A slight blush crossed her face as she jumped out of his arms.

"Well, I guess training with me has helped you get faster," Crimson chuckled. "But not fast enough."

Neo glared at him, " **Explain the thing you did with the blood.** "

Crimson sighed. "It's my semblance. I can not only see the blood path through any "living" thing, but I can control it too," he air quoted around the word living as he spoke. "Don't worry though. I haven't tried it on humans or Faunus to see the extent of my control. I do know that it is harder for me to control if it's inside a person than if it was outside."

" **Wait, you can control people too?** " Neo signed, with widened eyes.

"I think I can force them to do things but I still have yet to try it on anyone. Before you say anything, I don't want to try it yet. I only discovered it a month ago and still am trying to figure out the extent of it," Crimson said.

Neo was looking down at her hands as she twirled them. She knew what it was like to not want to use her semblance on people.

" **What do you know about your semblance so far,** " she shyly signed.

"Well, I can control Grimm to an extent. Force an attack to miss and what not. Control blood to do whatever I want if it's out in the open. I think I can force someone's body to heal itself with its own blood, but that still needs to be tested," he informed, thinking about what he was saying. He withheld he could learn fighting styles and other basic skills through blood absorption, and his growth in strength along with it. He didn't want to freak her out too much, but a thought crossed his mind.

"Wait, what did you mean by _control people too_?" he asked.

Neo's eyes widened. She realized she let it slip. Her hand involuntarily went to her throat. Her eyes flashed white with fear.

Crimson noticed the quick change. He knew she had let something slip that was a close guarded secret.

"Neo, if you have something you want to share, I won't judge you. If you're not ready I understand. I know the need for secrets," Crimson said with a soft smile.

Neo knew he could be trusted. The past months she spent with him proved that as she watched him interact with others. It didn't take long for everyone he interacted with to trust him. She decided to take a leap of faith others had. Hoping she was making the right decision, she stared him down with resolute eyes.

"It's about my semblance, Siren's Call," she said.

* * *

 _A/N: Wow, what a cliffhanger. Am I right? How was the Shadows of Yharnam meets RWBY fight? I hadn't shown what Crimson can do when he allow his instincts to take over but I felt this kind of helps. Hope he didn't seem to OP in the fight. Also, this chapter takes place roughly a week before the food fight of Season 2, Two months after Crimson first appeared on Remnant._

 _Crimson's Semblance will be better explained (hopefully) as time goes on. For now, think of it like blood bending from Avatar: the Last Air Bender, but with less hand movement. Now the elephant in the room. Neo can talk? Yes, and it will be explained in the next chapter, dear readers._

 _Anyway, how was the chapter? Please leave a review of it. If you have any questions, leave it in a review, comment, or PM me. As always, I enjoy criticism as it makes me a better writer._


	13. The Siren and the Hunter

"Wait, did you just speak?" Crimson asked.

Neo nods, hesitantly though.

"I call my semblance Siren's Call for a reason," she said, her voice quite but monotoned. "My voice can cause anyone to do anything I order, though it can be fought. Unless I start to sign then it's impossible to resist. I have to be very careful with what I saw and how I say it."

Neo's hand went to her neck, her eyes avoiding Crimson at all costs. Crimson could not only hear the pull of her voice but feel it too. Even though she spoke in a hushed monotoned voice, he could hear the angelic whispers that lined it. He figured he could only hear the underlining tones due to the insight he gained from the Hunt. What concerned him most was how strong the pull of her voice was to him. Even though he knew she was keeping careful control of her voice, the pull was strong. He again summed it up to his insight.

"I thought you could create illusions?" Crimson asked.

"I can, but they are incredibly weak. You have seen how the slightest force on them causes them to shatter like glass. I can only guess that it is a small part of my semblance which would help me control others," she said, her face grimacing at the last bit.

Crimson could see the raging emotions in her eyes that avoided him. Fear of what she could become. Hatred for the semblance she was gifted with. Regret for something she had done. He could tell this was hard for her to talk about. He could only guess something bad happened in her past that caused her to fear her own voice. So much that she never spoke, keeping it under such a tight lock that most guessed she didn't have vocal cords. The scholar in him wanted to know what had caused such fear. Yet the gentleman in him won out knowing better than to force such a sensitive subject. A small smile appeared on his face as he walked over to Neo, who took a step back.

"Stop," she said.

Crimson froze mid-step as if he was paralyzed on the spot. He couldn't move his muscles, causing his instincts to want to take over. He forced them to the back of his mind. He looked at Neo with a questioning gaze.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that," she said sheepishly in her monotoned voice. Crimson felt his body come back under his control. He took another cautious step forward. Standing within arms length away from Neo.

He reached up and embraced her. He felt her tense up in his arms. He didn't know why, but he felt she needed a hug. Not out of pity or sympathy but out of understanding. He decided now was the time to tell her the truth.

" _We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Fear the old blood._ " Crimson said, releasing Neo. He stepped back and sat down, motioning for her to do the same. "I know that it might sound weird to you but those were words to live by in my world. They were also the last words that Provost Willem gave to Laurence, the founder of the Healing Church."

Neo raised a brow as Crimson removed his top hat.

"What I am about to tell you is something that I have been trying to talk about the past month, but I haven't had the courage. Please wait until I finish before you start asking questions." He looked at her and waited for her nod before continuing, "For hunters where I come from, these words hold a lot of meaning to those who discover them. _We are born of the blood._ As a hunter, the blood of the Great Ones is transfused into us. It gives us the strength to fight the scourge and eventually them. We also gain strength from the death of our enemies through their blood. Since Yharnam was the home of blood ministration, it can be like paradise as we draw strength from the blood of others. _Made men by the blood._ Like I just said, we draw strength from the blood of the beast we've slain. Absorbing the memories of the humans they once were. Becoming stronger because of it. I can learn a person's fighting style from a drop of blood, master it with a dash of it. It isn't pretty what I can gain with a person's blood.

" _Undone by the blood._ With the strength that we gain from the blood, we get a rush from it. In Yharnam they produced more blood than alcohol as the former was more intoxicating. This intoxication can get addicting faster than any other substance on the planet as it only takes one time to get hooked. Hunters are the most susceptible to the intoxication from blood as we use it regularly. Hunters that become addicted will begin to kill everything that crosses their path. Thus becoming even more lost in the intoxicating aroma. This is especially bad as hunters turn into the most hideous of beasts.

" _Fear the Old Blood._ Provost Willem knew that the blood of the Great Ones should not be used and tried to warn Laurence of the outcome. Whether he knew the scourge would happen or not, Willem was wary of blood use, frowning upon it entirely. A dark secret to the Old Blood is that the more a person uses it, the more animalistic one becomes. It causes our beastly desires to surface," Crimson took a deep breath. He looked up to gauge Neo's reaction. Her face was void of emotion, taking in everything he said. He decided to continue, keeping a close watch on her reaction.

"As you have guessed, the blood turns humans into beasts. Some of them more horrendous than others. The things one only thinks of in nightmares. Hunters were chosen to kill these beasts, and most, like me, were tricked into taking up the mantel of Hunter. Most of the time a hunter would just hunt and not think on the Hunt, while few would delve into the _lore_ of it. Those who delve became aware of the fact that the beasts we were killing we just people like you and me. Innocents turned into monsters. Some accepted the fact while others feared it. Sad to say that I was one of the ones who accepted it. I am not proud to admit it as it is something that one doesn't do lightly. Killing some for the sake of others. Because of this, I took up the mantel of Hunter of Hunters when my mentor lost herself to the hunt."

Neo raised a brow.

"As a Hunter of Hunters, I hunt down hunters who had turned along with the other beasts. As I said, hunters can go on a killing streak if they lose themselves to the intoxication of the hunt. It bears no honor to have to cut down a fellow hunter, but it was necessary to keep us in check. The mantel mainly falls to those who meet a simple criterion. One must be strong, resilient to the seduction of blood, and gracious when taking a comrade's life. Also, as far as I know, there is only one Hunter of Hunters at a time."

Crimson stopped, letting the information soak in as he stared at Neo. It was a lot to process and he was wondering if she was following it at all. He had only told Ozpin his past and it was easier as he just told it from start to finish. He was speaking out of context and was trying to explain as he went along. He just hoped it was comprehensible.

"How many?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Crimson asked, caught off guard by the question.

"How many have you killed both beasts and humans," she clarified.

Crimson just locked eyes with her, "Are you sure you want the answer. I still have trouble processing it myself."

She only nodded, the determination ever present in her eyes. Crimson hesitated, but just sighed in the end.

"Fifty-seven hunters, three of which fully turned into beasts, three Great Ones, and over three hundred non-hunters who turned into beasts."

Neo sat there, staring with unmoving eyes. She showed no surprise at the high number of kills. Crimson silently held his breath. Waiting for her reaction. This was the moment he worried about.

"I only have one question left. Why tell me this, any of it?" she asked.

"A couple reasons really. One, so you know that I understand about having a gift that you don't want. My gift is being able to kill cleanly, efficiently, and quickly. My skills were matched by only the Great Ones in my world. Killing isn't something one does lightly without some form of regret or remorse. Yet I can do it without as much as a second thought, as you have no doubt seen me come close to doing. Which leads me to my next reason. I want you to be able to trust me. This is something that I have been trying to accept ever since I arrived here. There is a saying, from what I hear. ' _The art of acceptance_ _is_ _the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that they might have done you a greater one._ ' By sharing your semblance with me, you showed your trust in me. I know it was hard, and that trust in me showed me that you can be trusted even more. I trust you to not use this against me, and hopefully keep me in check in the future," Crimson said with a wink.

Neo's cheeks tinted slightly, only enough to go barely unnoticed. She flashed a small smile. Crimson stood up, and after dusting himself off, he offered a hand to Neo. She took it and he helped her to her feet.

"Well, shall we go get some breakfast? I believe the cafeteria should be opening soon," Crimson said with a smile.

" **Sure,** " she signed.

" **Don't worry, I will keep your voice a secret,** " she signed back as they left the room.

* * *

"Glynda, I am glad that you could come at such an early hour," Ozpin said.

"Ozpin, what is it that I need to be woken up at three in the morning? I know that you don't sleep, but some of us do," she retorted.

"Well, have some coffee, there is a fresh pot on the burner."

"You know that I don't drink coffee."

"One of these days. Your tea is on the back burner," Ozpin gestured to the desk off to the side of the room.

Glynda huffed and walked over to grab herself a cup, "So, why did you wake me up?"

"Qrow just informed me of a possible threat that has him concerned," Ozpin said, transferring some images from his desk to the holographic display.

Glynda looked at the pictures with horror. They showed a village that had been brutally slaughtered. Bodies of people all ages littered the ground as every surface was covered in blood. Several bodies had been dismembered, while others resembled shriveled up corpses. Glynda placed her tea down, repressing the urge to hurl last night's dinner all over the floor.

"Yes, a gruesome scene. Does this remind you of anything?" Ozpin asked, throwing another image up on the holographic display.

It was a tree with several people hanging from it by their feet. They had their hands tied and dangling down. Yet the worst part of it was that some had been beheaded, while some had their skulls caved in giving them a star appearance. Glynda turned and grabbed the small waste bin beside Ozpin's desk and emptied her stomach into it. Ozpin walked over and rubbed her back, making sure none of her hair fell in.

"What would cause someone to do this?" Glynda asked.

"I don't know, but one thing can be sure. Someone is trying to call out our resident Hunter of Hunters," Ozpin said.

"How can you be sure?"

"If you look at how the bodies are hung, they resemble a symbol that we've both seen. The one on Crimson's satchel," Ozpin said, offering a handkerchief.

Glynda took it and wiped her mouth, looking back at the picture, "What should we do?"

"We send him in," Ozpin said.

"Alone? I don't agree with that. This could be something he isn't capable of taking care of," Glynda said.

"Do you suggest I send his team with him. Frankly, I'm not up to sending those children to the edge of sanity. Qrow said that these pictures, besides the tree, were only a taste of what this village has gone through. The village is in a gruesome state," Ozpin said.

"Then what do you suggest? I will not stand by and let you send a child to that hellscape alone," Glynda said, slamming her hand on the desk.

Ozpin held her gaze. "Do you not remember what I told you about _his world_? This would be nothing he isn't already-"

"DAMN IT OZPIN!" Glynda yelled as her semblance flaring and sending the desk across the room. "I know full well what he's been through. I felt it when I unlocked his Aura. I see how tired he is every day from no doubt lack of sleep because he is haunted by the things he's seen. I have reviewed the simulations he creates that would never happen in real life. He has only just become an adult and he has seen more horrors than any human or Faunus on the planet."

Ozpin raised a brow. It wasn't often he had seen her get this frustrated about something. When she did, it reminded Ozpin to take a step back and look at the situation from a different angle.

"Glynda, calm down. Tell me why you have such a strong opinion on this? You know that one day he will see the aftermath of an, especially bad Grimm attack. They all will," Ozpin said.

Glynda remained silent, turning away from him. Ozpin sighed.

"Fine. I will only show him the photos and observe his reaction. I will leave the decision to him. You can be present if you want, I will not stop you. However, you must respect his decision. Does this suffice."

After a long silent moment, Glynda took a deep breath, "Fine. I will respect his choice. Do not manipulate him, do you hear me Ozpin. The choice will be his and his alone."

* * *

"Again they are both gone before the sun is even up. Where do those two go in the middle of the night?" Orion asked, getting up from his bed.

"Oh calm down, will you. I think he went to the training simulator. His gear is gone along with his satchel," Ebony said as she left the bathroom while drying her hair.

"And Neo probably went to check on him. Why not just send him a text? Would have been faster," Orion said, walking over to the closet to grab his combat attire.

"If I didn't know better I would say that you were jealous of our teammate," Ebony teased sarcastically. Orion only huffed as he went into the bathroom to change. "Seriously, what is your problem with him. Ever since he joined you have done nothing but give him the cold shoulder."

Orion came out of the bathroom and tossed his sweatpants into the laundry hamper. He rubbed has hand across his chest, a far away look in his eyes with his back Ebony.

"Orion, you know that he won't replace him right? I know you were close but that doesn't give you the right to shun Crimson. Do you think he would want you to live in the past?" she asked. Orion turned to look at his desk, a picture frame sitting there.

"You know it still hurts. Losing someone that close," he trailed off."I know. We all miss him, but he wouldn't want us to live in the past. He would want us to live in the present and fight for the future," Ebony said, sitting down at her own desk.

"I know, but every time I look at Crimson, see him in _his_ spot in all of our lessons, it just reminds me that I failed _him_ ," Orion said, leaning against his desk. He picked up the picture frame.

"You know that you couldn't do anything but be there for him in his last moments."

"If I had Ruby's speed, I could have saved him."

"Stop or else you will drive yourself crazy with all the if's. We have been over this before when it happened. There was nothing you could have done and wallowing in pity will not bring him back."

Orion sighed, setting the picture down delicately. He rubbed his face, releasing a heavy sigh.

"I guess you're right. I have been a bit cold. Maybe I can make it up to him somehow," Orion said.

"Well, if we hurry, you might be able to catch him before they head to Ozpin's office. It is combat day and he goes hunting instead of class. Maybe you could swap with Neo today. It's really fun and a healthy change from the boring tournament style fights in class," Ebony suggested.

Orion thought on it for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I'll see if I can go with him today. Hopefully, he can forgive my behavior from the past month."

The two began to make their way towards the cafeteria for their breakfast.

"He will. One thing I have learned is that he doesn't hold anything against anyone. Just a warning, though, he is a bit brutal in a fight," Ebony reassured.

"What?" Orion asked, raising a brow. It just occurred to him that he had yet to see his new teammate in a fight. Sure he heard bits and pieces of the gossip around Beacon, but he hadn't thought too much about it.

The two entered the dining hall. They quickly got their breakfast and began looking for their teammates. They were currently sitting with teams RWBY and JNPR. They were enjoying their food as Nora was talking animatedly about something. They walked over and sat across from their teammates, ignoring the silence that fell over the table.

"So... did you break those Ursa's legs or not? I hope you did or else we might start thinking you don't like breaking legs," Orion said, beginning to eat his eggs.

"We totally did. They were no match for us and in the end, Ren and I made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!" Nora exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention back to her story.

"Crimson," Orion said, drawing his attention from the conversation. "Would it be alright if I joined you today on your hunt?"

Crimson raised a brow at the request. It was strange to him, but he quickly recomposed himself. A smile appeared, "I have no problem with it. Neo and I did some sparing this morning and I bet she would love the break."

* * *

 _A/N: Wow this felt slow, but hopefully it was a good filler chapter. By the way, the quote Crimson said is from Martin Luther King Jr. I hope it fit with what he said. We got to see a glimpse of what is yet to come. It might seem like the whole thing with Orion and Crimson jumped out of nowhere, but I gave small nods to it (probably should have been a bit bigger so this scene doesn't sound out of context but that's for a later topic)._

 _How was it? This was a slow chapter to write and the more I read and edit it, the slower the pace feels. So I decided to just post it and save it for later as this chapter did need to be placed here. But I digress again._

 _As always, please review. I enjoy both good and bad as it helps me become a better writer. Any questions, leave it in a comment, review, or PM me._


	14. Questions Raised

**_A/N: Warning! Contains some graphic imagery._**

* * *

"Move out of the way!" Crimson yelled, tackling Neo to the ground as a stream of blood flew over them both. Crimson glanced back to see Orion had tacked Ebony to the ground also.

He looked back to the origin of the attack, already knowing what it was. He did not miss the gray muscles, tightly stretched across the long limbs. The extended digits gripping the earth as it moved on all fours. The unmistakable stretched sack between their back legs, resembling a bloated abdomen scrapping the ground. Yet, the most recognizable feature that had made him nearly lose the contents of his stomach the first time he had seen it, was the shredded skin that draped over the creatures elongated face. The observant could see what the beast looked like before they had changed.

He quickly jumped to his feet, grabbing another stream of blood as it flew past. He solidified it, then launched it back at the Bloodlicker. The blood spear sailed cleanly through the Bloodlicker's head and body, causing the bloated underbelly to burst. Looking around he saw five more crawling around buildings towards him.

"Stay back and try not to draw their attention to you. I will kill them," Crimson ordered.

"Crimson, what kind of Grimm are those? I've never heard or seen them before," Ebony called out to him.

"These aren't Grimm but Bloodlickers. I will explain when it's safe. Stay back while I handle them," Crimson ordered again. One of the beasts let an ear piercing screech fill the air.

' _Why did I agree to let them come along?'_ He thought to himself, dodging one of the Bloodlickers as they pounced.

* * *

 _Crimson and Orion waited in the elevator that went to Ozpin's office, both had their weapons and provisions for the day._

 _"So you do this every Tuesday and Thursday?" Orion asked, breaking the awkward silence._

 _"Yes. It started after the fight I had with Professor Goodwitch. Ozpin figured that it would be best for me to just go out and fight the Grimm. This way I wouldn't accidently hurt another student," Crimson said, looking over his sword._

 _"What do you mean? From what I heard you just fought her, not killed her."_

 _"Well, since I was able to go head-to-head with a professional Huntress, Ozpin decided to have me wait until everyone was more on the same level before I joined in," Crimson said, shrugging._

 _"That makes no sense. Pyrrha is a world renowned champion in fighting. Leagues ahead of everyone else in the class, yet she still participates in class," Orion countered._

 _"It was Ozpin's idea, not mine," Crimson deflected. "Honestly I enjoy it and don't understand why everyone else doesn't do it."_

 _Before Orion could counter, the elevator dinged, signaling to them that they had arrived at their destination. The doors opened to Glynda and another man standing around Ozpin's desk._

 _The man wore black dress pants and black boots. He had a gray button down shirt on, with the sleeves, rolled up to just below his elbows exposing the black lining. On his back was a black tattered cape with red lining. Around his neck was a simple black cord necklace with a cross, and he wore several rings on his hands. He had slightly graying, black, spiky hair, and a stubble outlining his jaw. Strapped to his back was a large sword. He had turned and was analyzing the two students._

 _Crimson's hand tightened on Rakuyo, feeling an attack was in preparation._

 _"Ah, right on time as always Mr. Moon. I see that Mr. Star is joining you on your hunt today?" Ozpin asked more to clarify._

 _"That is right. Should we have waited a bit longer? I don't mean to intrude on your business," Crimson said._

 _"Not at all. You just killed two Nevermore with one stone. Now I won't have to send for Mr. Star," Ozpin said, pressing some buttons on his desk. "Mr. Star, could you please step out for a minute. I have some questions for Mr. Moon that are personal to him."_

 _Orion glanced at Crimson but stepped back into a small room off to the side. Once he was gone, the atmosphere shifted._

 _"Crimson, I would like you to meet Qrow Branwen. He is a fellow Huntsmen like myself and Glynda."_

 _"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I've heard so much about you from your nieces," Crimson said._

 _Qrow produced a flask and took a drink, the alcohol apparent in the air._

 _"I don't doubt that," Qrow said, his voice scruffy. "Oz, just show him so we can come to a decision."_

 _Ozpin pressed a button to bring up the holographic display. The only picture on it was of the tree with the hanging bodies. Crimson's grip tightened harder on his Rakuyo. His gaze hardened, a shadow passing over his eyes._

 _'There was no way anyone from Remnant knows what that means,' he had thought._

 _"Where was this?" he asked, his voice cold._

 _Glynda and Ozpin shared a look, not recognizing the person who stood before them. He radiated a presence that one of them hadn't felt in a long time, while the other one didn't know how to explain it. Qrow's hand went to his weapon, not drawing it but ready to._

 _"A village about six hours away by bullhead. Qrow here was the one who found the village in its current state," Ozpin said. Showing a few more of the graphic pictures._

 _"Did you burn or bury the bodies?" Crimson asked._

 _"The village was quarantined, but I don't think that anything has happened yet," Qrow said._

 _"I need to investigate that village as soon as possible. If that tree is any factor to go by, then someone else from my world is here," Crimson said._

 _"How do you know for sure someone from your world is here?" Glynda asked._

 _"That is why I need to investigate that town myself. I need to examine the wounds myself and at the source. Plus, I need to make sure that another scourge **does not happen** ," he emphasized._

 _"I'm sorry but what is a scourge?" Qrow asked._

 _"Ozpin will explain after I leave. I need to get there now," Crimson ordered. All tensing at the authority in his voice._

 _"Would you like your team to go with you? To provide backup if any Grimm were to show up?" Ozpin asked, keeping calm but on edge._

 _"Fine, if it gets me there faster than it would be to argue," Crimson said rushed, not thinking about what could happen._

 _"Well then, head towards the air docks. Your other teammates will meet you there," Ozpin said, pushing a button on his desk. Orion stepped back into the room but stopped once he saw the tense atmosphere. "Mr. Star, as of right now your team is going on a mission. However, Crimson will be in charge for this mission. He will brief you and the others on the way. Hurry to the air docks where a bullhead is waiting for you."_

 _Orion was about to question, but he saw the warning in Ozpin's eyes. He held his tongue and nodded. Following Crimson out the door._

* * *

Crimson slashed at the nearest Bloodlicker, causing it to retreat back a few steps. He waited, calculating possible attack patterns. These Bloodlickers were not the same from Yharnam. He looked at the shredded skin drapes, feeling sorry for the person that they once were.

Crimson saw the signs of the attack coming and waited for the perfect timing. Two Bloodlickers shot blood streams at him, while two others just lunged at him. Crimson, dodged to the side, grabbing one blood stream and solidifying it. Instead of throwing, the now, blood spear, he stabbed it into one of the lunging Bloodlickers. Using the Rakuyo, he cut the beast's head off and threw it down, drawing the two Bloodlickers to it as they tried to drink the blood. With two distracted and one dead, Crimson concentrated on the remaining two. He quickly lunged to them, slicing with both the Rakuyo and blood spear. It didn't take him long, as a moment later they were lying on the ground in several parts. Then, without looking, he threw the spear at the two distracted beasts. Mid-flight, the spear split into two pieces and sailed cleanly through their heads.

Crimson then gave a loud whistle, sounding eerily similar to what the beast's screeches sounded like. He waited, listening hard to the surroundings. After a few minutes of silence, he turned towards where he had seen the rest of his team move to. He waved, signaling that it was clear, and waited for them to come over. They quickly hurried over to where he was, Orion and Ebony avoiding the scenery around them, while Neo was surprisingly calm.

"Crimson, what were those thing?" Ebony asked, her skin paler than usual.

"Those were Bloodlickers. They appear where there is a large supply of _spilled_ blood. Usually, in a massacre like this town experienced," Crimson said, starting to walk around the town. Bodies were scattered about in different positions. Some were clearly trying to flee whatever caused the attack, while some were in failed attempts in trying to fight it. Different shades of blood painted the ground as it was in different states of drying.

' _Thank the Blood there were only six. I don't know what I would have done if there were more. But that does bid the question, Who caused this?_ ' Crimson thought to himself as he looked around, deep in thought.

"Wait, why is this the first time we are hearing about them? Wouldn't they have been at least something that Professor Port knew about?" Orion asked, following after him.

Crimson knelt down and rolled over a body. He heard someone inhale sharply but didn't bother looking to see who it was. The body had its face and most of the muscle ripped off. He didn't pay much attention to the face, as he was looking at the wound across his chest. As he was about to examine the wound closer, he was pulled away.

Crimson instantly went on the defensive as he always did. He kicked the feet out from under the person. As they fell, he pulled his Rakuyo and pressed it across their throat, pinning the person down to the ground. Recognition flashed as he realized he was holding down Orion.

"Sorry," Crimson said, turning back to the body he was looking at.

"CRIMSON!" Orion yelled, drawing Crimson's attention. "What is going on? All you told us was that we were going to look into an incident at a village, not that we were here to investigate a mass murder. We are not experienced enough to be looking into this."

"I will be blunt with you, at the time, I was not thinking clearly. I wanted to get out here as soon as possible and didn't argue with Ozpin when he suggested it. To be honest, I have no idea why he suggested it," Crimson said.

"Crimson," Ebony called off in the distance.

"As soon as we got here, I knew I had made a mistake in letting you come along."

"Orion," Ebony called again, her voice louder, but not drawing the attention of the men.

"Why would you be the one to investigating this village? Why not a professional Huntsmen, or even the authorities," Orion questioned.

"Because-"

"GUYS!" Ebony yelled at them. Both of them turned to look at Ebony who pointed towards Neo, who was frozen staring around a building. Crimson began making his way over to Neo with Orion following. Rounding the corner Crimson looked back at Orion.

"Because of that," Crimson said, gesturing in front of him.

Orion finally making to where they stood. His face twisted in horror as he laid eyes on the tree. The bodies were in a worse state than from the picture Crimson had seen. Some of them had bite marks, even chunks missing, from animals feasting on the corpses. Most had different shades of skin as each body was in a different state of rigor mortis. All were still hung by their feet with their hands bound, draping from the bodies.

"Whoever massacred this village, did it to get my attention. I don't know who, or why but I will find out. And to do that I need to examine the bodies and burn them," Crimson said, turning back to the body he had been looking at. He stopped after a step, looking back at the tree. "If you think I am taking this lightly, don't. I have walked hand in hand with death longer than any other living person, and the thing I hate most is killing of the innocent."

Crimson continued walking. He knelt down by the faceless body and took a close look at the wound on its chest. A single slash from a blade. The blade was sharpened to a razor edge, but the wound was too big for a simple blade cut. The wound was infected, black with different shades of red. The strange thing was that the veins around the wound were black as well, easily visible. Crimson's eyes widened as he stepped back.

'By the blood, why would that cursed weapon be here? I thought I had the only one,' he thought, looking through his bag.

"Crimson, what do you want us to do?" Orion asked walking up to him.

"Keep an eye out for Grimm," Crimson said, still searching through his satchel. "This attack no doubt caused a lot of negative emotions. I'm surprised Grimm haven't shown up yet. Kill them before they can feast on the bodies. Ah good, there it is." He stopped his searching and looked around, deep in thought. "Take Ebony with you and do a sweep around the village. Try to get a count of how many we have. I'm guessing by the size, maybe 150 total."

"What will you and Neo be doing?" Orion asked.

"We will collect the bodies and look for identification. Then once everyone has been collected, we will have a funeral pyre," Crimson said.

"What about their families? Wouldn't they want to have a final look or have their own funerals? Hell, even know about this?" Orion asked. Crimson began walking around.

"That is the main reason why we will be collecting identification, so we can tell the families about this. Also, I can not allow them to leave the area. The weapon that caused all of this damage is very dangerous. It is the most dangerous in corpses,"Crimson answered stopping and placing a hand on Orion's shoulder. "Like I said, I don't take their deaths lightly. I hold it very close. Now please do as I ask and trust me on this. It might not be the morally right choice, but it is the best."

Crimson could see the conflict in his eyes. He knew he was asking a lot from Orion, but he was speaking the truth. Even if it was a half-truth. He didn't want what happened in Yharnam to happen here. Most would not survive. Some would not be able to resist. Few would be able to make the choices he made.

After a moment, Orion finally nodded and called for Ebony. They both began walking around the village. Crimson knew there would be consequences for this, but instead of thinking about the future he turned and headed towards the tree. Neo was still staring at it with a neutral face. He began working on cutting down the bodies. Shortly after he started, Neo joined in. Once all of the bodies were on the ground, Crimson began searching for identification.

"Look for any form of identification. Don't take money or anything valuable. If you can not find any identification, then take a picture of the face," Crimson said, noticing the confused look on his partner's face. "Once everyone has been identified, of their picture taken for later identification, then we will gather them here and have a funeral pyre for them."

* * *

 _A/N: So this chapter looked A LOT better in my head and in the outline, **but** , as I started writing this chapter then the idea left me to the point the outline was useless. Sorry, I know that this was a weak chapter, not my best._

 _Please leave a review of the chapter, Any questions, please leave it in a review, comment, or PM me. I do answer all reviews directly, so if you have PM turned off then you are kind of SOL._


	15. One of those updates

A/N: Well, I hate writing this kind of authors note as much as I hate reading them. This story is going on hiatus for an unknown amount of time. I feel the story has gone out in left field from what I had originally scripted and need to step back from it. I will be going back and editing it to, hopefully, get it back on track and fill some plot holes in the story. Let's hope it will be a better story when it is back on the update train. I do not plan on dropping this story as I did have a lot of the next arc already written. It is just that the first arc was very lacking, missing key points, and needs a lot of work. Sorry for this kind of update. Like I said, I hate reading these and writing this one, but I understand why they are written. Sometimes you need a break from a story to make it better.


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